During a visit to Anahtar Parti (A Party) Chair Yavuz Ağıralioğlu, Özel was asked about the ongoing strike by workers employed through İzmir Metropolitan Municipality’s subsidiaries. The strike, which began on May 28 after collective bargaining talks involving around 23,000 workers broke down, has significantly affected municipal services. İzmir is a traditional stronghold of CHP.
“Don’t expect us to speak against striking workers,” said Özel. “But just as they have rights, so does the municipal administration. Today, residents of İzmir collected the trash in front of their homes themselves. Are you going to call İzmir’s people ‘strikebreakers’?”
Özel emphasized that CHP has historically supported unionization and the right to organize. “We will proceed with sensitivity and within the framework of rules and laws. A solution will surely be found,” he stated.
İzmir Municipality workers stage protest march amid ongoing strike
Mayor Tugay personally collects garbage amid strike
İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay, alongside party and council members, took to the streets on the night of June 1 to collect garbage that had piled up due to the strike. While doing so, he confronted striking workers, saying:
“I respect your right to strike, but you cannot prevent this. Striking means going home, not interfering with others working. These piles will be cleared; the city cannot be left in an unhealthy state. We’ve been explaining for six months the wages we can afford. You’re trying to bankrupt this municipality. I won’t let you do that to İzmir.”
Workers’ demands
- Equal pay for equal work,
- Elimination of wage disparities between employees represented by different unions within İzmir Metropolitan Municipality,
- Reduction of the pay gap between members of Türk-İş affiliated Belediye-İş Union and those represented by DİSK’s General-İş,
- Implementation of fair and equal working conditions.
(TY/DT)
