Armed attack on union president by factory owner's brother

Makum Alagöz, the President of the textile workers' union DERİTEKS, was attacked by the owners of Akar Textile, who declared concordat in Izmir.

After declaring concordat, Akar Textile began relocating the machinery in the factory. The remaining workers with unpaid wages and social benefits held a meeting today at the union building. In response, the owner of the factory, Hayrettin Akar, invited the union for negotiations.

Makum Alagöz, along with the DERİTEKS team, was waiting for a meeting at the factory when he was attacked by Onur Akar, the brother of Hayrettin Akar, with a firearm. Alagöz, wounded in the leg, was taken to the hospital. He suffered a bone fracture, but is not in critical condition.

DERİTES union has issued its first statement regarding the incident:

"Onur Akar, the brother of the workplace owner and manager Hayrettin Akar, engaged in an armed attack against our President Makum Alagöz during a meeting at AKAR TEKSTİL, our unionized workplace in İzmir, which we attended upon the request of the workers. The head of our Organizing Department, Binali Tay and General Coordinator Engin Çelik escaped unharmed.

Our President Makum Alagöz is not in critical condition and is currently receiving treatment at the hospital. We condemn this attack targeting the working class."

DERİTEKS organizing specialist Cihan İşçi also spoke to the Evrensel newspaper. İşçi said, "While we were having a meeting with the workers at the union building, Akar employer Hayrettin Akar called our president Makum Alagöz. He invited us for a meeting at the factory at 14:30. Our headquarters executives, President Makum, and I went to the factory. While waiting for the meeting in the lobby, the human resources directed us to the cafeteria. While we were sitting there, Onur Akay, the employer's brother, entered and asked, 'Are you happy?' and then pulled out his gun and fired."

(HA/PE)