'As Long As There is Solidarity, There Will Be Gains'

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Numerous women's organizations and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Ankara MP Filiz Kerestecioğlu have visited the Flormar workers, who have been protesting for their union rights for 226 days.

The women have been welcomed by women workers in front of the Flormar Factory in the Gebze Organized Industrial Zone. Banners have been shown which read "Not Flormar, but resistance beautifies", "Flormar resistance is growing with solidarity", "Boycott to Flormar products."

'We will make your voice heard at the parliament'

HDP MP for Ankara Kerestecioğlu has broadcasted the visit on her social media account:

Direnişin 226. gününde Flormar işçileriyleyiz...#KadınlarBirlikteGüçlü #FlormarDeğilDirenişGüzelleştirir pic.twitter.com/fTJh5sK6qq

— Filiz Kerestecioğlu (@FilizKer) 26 Aralık 2018

* We are with the Flormar workers on the 226th day of the resistance... #KadınlarBirlikteGüçlü (Women are strong together) #FlormarDeğilDirenişGüzelleştirir (Not Flormar, but resistance beautifies)

In a speech that she made at the demonstration, Kerestecioğlu has said,

"Flormar workers are showing great resistance. What we can do is to try to make your voice heard at the parliament. We came with women's organizations. As long as this solidarity exists, the workers from all across Turkey will get what they deserve."

The visit ended with slogans chanted by women.

There will also be a protest on social media tonight (December 26) under the hashtag #flormarişçisikazanacak (Flormar workers will win).

What happened?

226 days ago, the workers who work at the Flormar cosmetics company began to become members of the Petroleum, Chemical, Rubber, Workers' Union of Turkey (Petrol-İş). When the union established majority among the workers and acquired the certificate of authority, the workers who were members of the union were fired.

115 workers, many of whom were women, were fired. The workers who showed support for them by applause were also fired or forced to resign for the reasons of "Supporting people who are demonstrating illegally at break times or at various times, disturbing the peace in the working environment, acting in ways which are incompatible with rightness and commitment."

On the 11th day of the protest, Flormar authorities put wired fences and awning in front of the factory to cut the communication between the protesting workers and the workers inside the factory.

Numerous civil society organizations called for Boycott against Yves Rocher and Flormar products and numerous famous actresses declared support for Flormar workers. (EMK/VK)