Remarks by DİSK representative on strike in İzmir spark backlash: 'I will tell the Mayor, there is trash here, clean it up'

The workers' strike, which has been ongoing for 5 days following the failure of negotiations between the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and the DİSK Genel-İş branches 1, 2, 3, and 9, is causing trash to accumulate in various parts of the city and disrupting services.

Ercan Gül, head of the Genel-İş No. 2 Branch, who approached İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay yesterday evening while he was collecting trash accumulated in Kordon to prevent him from doing so and engaged in a dispute, used striking expressions on the matter again today.

"MAYOR, COME HERE, THERE IS TRASH, CLEAN IT UP"

Gül claimed that Cemil Tugay was acting as a strike-breaker by collecting trash and said, "If I see a piece of trash here one day, I will call the Mayor and say, 'Mayor, come here, there is trash, clean it up.'"

Addressing the workers, Ercan Gül said:

“God is above, he is doing a good job cleaning. God is above, he is working well. I really saw it. We have friends at the Citizen Communication Center. Citizens call there. They have been giving out our union's number. Citizens call our union saying, 'There is trash here, intervene.' If I see a piece of trash here one day, I will call the Mayor and say, 'Mayor, come here, there is trash, clean it up' from now on.”

Remarks by DİSK representative on strike in İzmir spark backlash:
I will tell the Mayor, there is trash here, clean it uphttps://t.co/GaFafFVB8H pic.twitter.com/mRdX3ZDx3P

— 12punto (@12puntocomtr) June 2, 2025

News Source: 12punto