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The workers of the 3rd İstanbul Airport, who have been protesting their bad working conditions and occupational homicides, have announced that around 400 workers have lost their lives since the construction of the airport started.
Upon this announcement, the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Security has made a statement regarding the alleged death of almost 400 workers at the construction of the airport as well as the allegations that these deaths have been covered up by giving money to the families of the deceased.
The Ministry has claimed that 27 workers have lost their lives. However, it was reported in the news that one other worker lost his life by falling into a manhole on October 15 and his dead body was found on October 17.
While it is still not clear how many workers have died at the construction site of the 3rd İstanbul Airport, İzmir MP of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Serpil Kemalbay and İstanbul MP of the Republican People's Party (CHP) Ali Şeker have brought the issue into parliamentary agenda.
They have submitted parliamentary inquiries to be responded by Minister of Family, Labor and Social Security Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk.
In their inquiries, the MPs have emphasized that no official statement has been made regarding the occupational homicide at the airport and asked the identity of the worker, whose death body has recently been found.
Kemalbay: Have the measures been taken?
Kemalbay has directed a series of questions to the minister including:
* Has your ministry launched an investigation into the death of the worker, which was reported in the news on October 20, 2018?
* Has this occupational accident been reported to the Social Security Institution? If not, has an administrative fine been imposed?
* Is it true that the dead body of the worker remained in the well for days? What is his cause of death?
* In the wake of a statement by your Ministry regarding the death of only 27 workers, what measures have been taken before and after these deaths and what sanctions have been imposed on the employers?
Şeker: A period when the powerful crushes the rightful
Emphasizing that "we have been going through a period, when the powerful crushes the rightful, Şeker has also directed a series of questions such as:
* Is it true that the authorities at the airport construction have attempted to cover up the alleged occupational homicide?
* How many workers of ours have lost their lives in occupational homicides during the construction of the airport?
* How many workers of ours have had occupational accidents during the construction of the airport?
* Are there any other workers, who have got missing while working at the airport and whose fate and whereabouts have been unknown?
What happened?On September 12, 2018, in the construction of the 3rd Airport in İstanbul, where almost 36 thousand workers have been working, a shuttle vehicle had an accident, which injured 17 workers. In the wake of this accident, workers stopped working in the construction due to bad working conditions and occupational homicides. On September 14, 401 workers were taken into custody. 275 of these workers were released on September 16. 83 workers were also gradually released. 28 of the remaining 43 workers were referred to court with a request for their arrest. 33 workers and the Chair of the Progressive Construction Workers Union (Dev Yapı-İş) Özgür Karabulut were arrested. On October 18, six of the arrested workers were released. The demands of the workers are: -The workers who joined the protest won't be fired. -Those who were fired without being informed will be reinstated. -Shuttle problem will be solved. -Full wage will be put into bank account, it will not be paid in person. -Workers and foremen will eat at the same dining hall. -The İGA officials responsible for the problems will be discharged. -Demands will be read out in front of the press. -Occupational homicides will be resolved. -Bonus will be paid in bairams. -Workers will be given working clothes. -Salary of workers who haven't been paid for 6 months will be paid. |
(EMK/SD)
