“We Will Not Pay for The Crisis” Vow İstanbul Workers

Around 40,000 protesters gathered in Kadıköy, Istanbul, yesterday (15 February) under the slogan “We Will Not Pay the Price for the Crisis: Labour and Democracy Rally for a United Struggle against Unemployment and Poverty”

The protest was organised so that three processions beginning at different points met at Kadıköy Square at 1 pm.

Initial clashes

The rally then began with one minute of silence, followed by a speech by Mustafa Kumlu, chair of the Türk-İş trade union. His speech was disturbed by shouts of members of the Türk Metal trade union, whose leader, Mustafa Özbek, has been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into the illegal ultranationalist Ergenekon organisation. They shouted “We are where Özbek is” and “May the arms of those break who are going after Özbek”. His supporters hung up a picture of the leader.

Members of the Türk-İş trade union then opened a placard reading “Traitor Özbek will have to give account”, and the two groups clashed. People threw sticks and umbrellas at each other, and there was some fist fighting.

Rally officials intervened, but it took half an hour for the groups to separate. Then Mustafa Kumlu continued his speech and said, “Özbek has carried out valuable work. Hopefully, he will soon be cleared and released, calm down.”

Following the fight, members of the Türk-İş trade union left the square.

After Kumlu’s speech, protesters shouted “Side by side against fascism” and “Long live revolutionary soldarity”.

Charity rather than rights

The next speech was by Süleyman Çelebi, president of the DİSK trade union federation. He accused the government of turning its citizens into vassals through a discourse of charity rather than rights.

He added “Those who have ears but do not hear, those who have eyes but do not see, they cannot hear the voices of the ten thousands today, they cannot see us. We say no to job dismissals, unemployment and poverty. We say, do not use the crisis as an excuse to reduce wages. We want democracy and peace.”

"We are here to show our courage"

Sami Evren, leader of the KESK trade union federation, also criticised the government’s policies. He said that the crisis was being used as an excuse to encourage the black economy. Evren called on Prime Minister Erdoğan, saying: “You have ignored our labour. You have put our jobs and food at risk. You continue to take away our right to group contracts and the right to strike. Don’t think you can frighten us, we are here to show our courage.

Despite the heavy rain, the great number of protesters kept shouting slogans, relating to the government’s ineffectual dealing with the crisis, but also relating to human rights.

Women protesters

Women protesters were also present. The Feminist Collective walked with its own placard, reading “Labour is Ours”. Özlem Mollamehmetoğlu told bianet how she, as a woman, was being affected by the crisis:

“I am an unemployed university graduate. Crisis means unemployment for women. Even if they have work, they work without social security, without work safety. I am 27 years old, and I cannot benefit from my father’s health insurance anymore. The crisis is leaving young women unemployed and is forcing them into marriage.”

She added that the men who were being affected by the crisis became violent at home towards the women imprisoned there by the crisis.

Student Elif Kara said: “We are most affected by the economic crisis, but the trade unions who are demanding workers’ rights in the face of the crisis are ignoring women.”

Hatice Temiz said, “As a Kurdish woman, I am already doubly discriminated against, and the crisis has increased my burden more than that of men.” She said that she had joined the protest so that women should not pay the price for the crisis.

Another women’s organisation, the Women Workers’ Assocation (EKD) was at the rally.

Further photos of the march can be seen here.

Some of the organisations who took part in the protest were:

Socialist Labour Movement (SEH), Social Rights Association (SHD), Feminist Collective, Women Workers’ Association (EKD), Labour Movement Party (EHP), Union for Struggle, People’s Culture Centre (HKM),  Partisan People’s Front , Focus (Odak), People’s Liberation Party (HKP), Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP), Lever (Kaldıraç), Anatolian Culture and Research Association (AKA-DER), Socialist Democracy Party (SDP), Revolutionary Workers (Dev- İş), Republican People’s Party (CHP), Leather Workers, Revolutionary Workers’ Party (DİP), Democratic People’s Platform (DHP), Workers’ Front, Dissident Youth Movement, Solidarity Trade Union, Alınteri, Committee of Shipyard Workers, Socialist Party, Socialist Solidarity Platfrom, Galatasaray University,  Proletarian Revolutionary Stance, Roma people of the Hacı Hüsrev neighbourhood, Association of Those Passionate about the Country, Young Hope,  People’s Centres,  Union of Turkish Chambers of Architects and Engineers (TMMOB), Acceleration (İvme), National Union of NGOs, Education Trade Union (Eğitim Sen), United Metal Workers Trade Union (Birleşik Metal İş), Students and Youth Trade Union (Genç Sen), Street Corner Theatre Society, Cinema Trade Union (Sine Sen), Municipal and Local Authority Trade Union (Tüm Bel-Sen), Press, Media and Communication Trade Union (Haber Sen), Contemporary Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD), Topkapı Workers’ Association, Association for the Union of Shipyard Workers (TİB-DER), Esenyurt Workers’ Platform, OSİM-DER, People of the Kazım Karabekir neighbourhood, Youth Platform of Istanbul High Schools, Anarchists, Küçükçekmece Workers’ Platform, Workers’ Party (İP), Global Coalition for Peace and Justice (Küresel BAK), Democratic Society Party (DTP), Ürün, Odak Journal, Union of Revolutionary Democratic Trade Unions (DDSB), People of the Başıbüyük neighbourhood, Labour Party (EMEP), Petrol Workers’ Trade Union (Petrol-İş), Platform for Health and a Secure Future for Everyone. (EZÖ/BÇ)