From resistance to victory: Migros workers' protest ends with folk dances
Migros warehouse workers have celebrated it with folk dances that their protests for their rights have ended in their favor. Workers’ lawyer Ünder says that their struggle marks an unforgettable resistance in the history of Turkey’s working class.
Protesting for a wage increase and dismissed from the warehouse of Migros, one of the biggest supermarket chains in Turkey, workers' resistance has ended in their victory and they have celebrated it with folk dances in front of the warehouse in İstanbul's Esenyurt.
Their celebration today (February 21) was also joined by Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) MPs Züleyha Gülüm and Musa Piroğlu and main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) MP Ali Şeker.
Mürsel Ünder, the lawyer of the Warehouse, Port, Dock and Maritime Workers Union (DGD-SEN), shared details about the agreement reached by the union and employers, Migros and Us Group.
Extending his thanks to everyone "who has acted reasonably and with common sense in this process and contributed to the current picture", lawyer Mürsel Ünder underlined that workers may have to pay heavy prices in Turkey in order to gain their rights.
"Our friends working here had to protest. They held protests such as halting work, occupying the workplace, stopping work. Because they had no other choice", he recalled, noting that "they were moved out of the workplace in a police attack and faced attempts of criminalization."
"As if what they did had been a grave crime, they were treated like criminals. But at the current stage, they have won," added the lawyer.
Reminding the press that the workers requested a 4-lira hourly wage increase and resolution of the problems concerning labor health and safety and the system of premiums, the lawyer recalled that "250 workers were dismissed instead of accepting these three requests".
Sharing details about the agreement, lawyer Ünder announced that their first request was the reinstatement of the dismissed workers and, at the meeting with the employer yesterday, it was said that the dismissed workers would be reinstated in their jobs. Defining it as "one of the most important gains", Mürsel Ünder added that an agreement has also been reached regarding the problems with the premium system. "What we have requested will be eliminated in the shortest possible time," he noted.
'We want elder brother Gülabi to come back, too'
On the other side, Migros Steering Committee Chair Ömer Özgür Tort attended a program on HaberTürk TV this morning.
Saying that 55 thousand people work in Migros, he indicated that 530 people are employed at the warehouse in İstanbul's Esenyurt.
Mentioning that Migros has 26 other distribution centers in a similar structure, Tort said, "We have reached a resolution by introducing a simpler premium system. The criteria for obtaining an increase in income have been made simpler. Let say: A system which was simple has become much simpler. It has been a solution which comprises everyone whose labor contracts have been terminated. We want all workers to come back."
He added, "We of course want elder brother Gülabi to come back, too; he has become a symbol, after all. They are all our personnel. This call had already been made the next day of the termination of labor contracts."
Detained in front of the house of employer Tuncay Özilhan on February 18 and wiping his eyes in the detention vehicle, Migros worker Gülabi Aksu's images sparked harsh criticisms on social media.
Consumer prices in İstanbul rose by 3.79 percent in March compared to the previous month, according to data released by the İstanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO). On an annual basis, inflation in the city reached 46.23 percent.
The March figures follow a 3.19 percent monthly increase in February, when the annual rate stood at 45.35 percent.
The updated figures reflect a recent change in İTO’s calculation method. Prior to February, the index diverged from the national inflation indicator released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat). In February, İTO revised its long-running “Cost of Living Index for Wage Earners in İstanbul,” which had been in place since 1995, and reintroduced it under the name “İstanbul Consumer Price Index.” The new version aligns more closely with TurkStat’s methodology in terms of main expenditure groups and item count.
The highest monthly increase in March was recorded in the alcoholic beverages and tobacco group at 7.31 percent, followed by communication expenses at 4.50 percent and food and non-alcoholic beverages at 4.22 percent. Housing expenditures rose 3.59 percent, transportation 3.15 percent, and various goods and services 3.11 percent. Household goods increased by 1.27 percent, entertainment and culture by 0.32 percent, clothing and footwear by 0.09 percent, while health and education expenditures both rose by 0.03 percent.
Only one category, restaurants and hotels, saw a decline with a 0.06 percent decrease.
Meanwhile, the Wholesale Price Index, which tracks wholesale price movements, rose by 2.30 percent in March following a 2.33 percent increase in February. The year-on-year change in March was 33.17 percent, with a 12-month average increase of 46.12 percent.
By sector, the highest annual average increase was seen in construction materials at 92.81 percent, followed by textiles at 71.96 percent, chemicals at 47.09 percent, foodstuffs at 43.70 percent, fuel and energy at 36.08 percent, unprocessed materials at 34.44 percent, and minerals at 30.02 percent.
Commenting on the updated methodology, Prof. Dr. Ege Yazgan, rector of İstanbul Bilgi University, said, “The main trends in TurkStat and İTO data now appear to be more aligned than before. This is what we expected following the update.”
TurkStat is scheduled to release its official national inflation data on Apr 3.
Many shopkeepers kept their shops closed in support of the boycott in İstanbul's Kadıköy. (Tuğçe Yılmaz/bianet)
A wave of protests sparked by the detention of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has evolved into a nationwide consumer boycott campaign led by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
The CHP, which had already been calling for a boycott of companies and media outlets with close ties to the government, extended its efforts today with a nationwide “no shopping day” across Turkey.
The campaign was originally initiated by student groups, which have been at the forefront of ongoing protests over the past two weeks. CHP leader Özgür Özel publicly embraced the call yesterday, posting a message on social media highlighting that 301 individuals, mostly students, remain behind bars due to the protests and are spending the Eid al-Fitr holiday in prison.
“I wholeheartedly support the consumer boycott launched by our youth in response to this injustice against students, mothers, fathers, and siblings,” Özel wrote. “I invite everyone to join this boycott and use the power they hold as consumers. The nation is the true owner of the state.”
The boycott calls for avoiding all forms of spending, including grocery shopping, fuel purchases, dining out, online shopping, and bill payments.
Just for one day, just because we want to. Show who’s the boss," reads the poster promoting the boycott campaign, also shared by CHP leader Özel.
Mayor İmamoğlu, who was formally arrested on Mar 23 on corruption charges and declared the CHP’s presidential candidate after the party’s primary on the same day, has also supported the campaign. His lawyers have been posting his daily messages on social media from detention.
Small business owners have shown support in some areas, particularly in Kadıköy, a CHP stronghold in İstanbul, where many shopkeepers shuttered their stores in solidarity.
Nineteen publishing houses, including some of the country’s leading publishers, announced their support for the boycott, stating they would suspend all sales on Apr 2.
Recently, the CHP’s calls for boycotting pro-government companies led to the cancellation of performances by Norwegian singer Ane Brun and South African comedian Trevor Noah. Both events were organized by a company with alleged ties to the government.
A campaign is now underway urging the British rock band Muse to cancel its upcoming concert in Turkey for the same reason. DBL Entertainment, the event organizer, has since announced its withdrawal from all upcoming projects in response to the boycott pressure.
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation against individuals promoting the boycott, citing alleged crimes of “inciting hatred and discrimination” and “provoking enmity and hostility among the public.”
Government officials have condemned the campaign, viewing it as a threat to Turkey’s business environment. Trade Minister Ömer Bolat labeled the boycott “a sabotage against the economy and national will” in a written statement. He called on the public to increase their shopping activity on Apr 2 and visited local merchants himself, sharing photos of his purchases on social media.
Bolat also suggested that companies experiencing commercial losses due to the boycott could pursue compensation through legal channels.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya alleged that the CHP's true aim was to incite domestic unrest and that “Israel is watching this with pleasure.”
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesperson Ömer Çelik accused Özel of “targeting Turkey’s social and political life just to protect his own leadership.”
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, a government ally, said, “Boycotting is a right, occupation is a crime."
Erdoğan’s past boycotts
In response to criticism, opposition figures have pointed to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s own history of encouraging boycotts. Over the years, Erdoğan and senior government officials have called for boycotts of products from countries involved in diplomatic disputes with Turkey.
Since the Gaza war began on Oct 7, 2023, pro-government groups have been running boycott campaigns against various brands. Notably, Starbucks has been a target despite having no stores in Israel and not being boycotted by Palestinian groups.
Erdoğan also previously urged citizens not to buy iPhones during a diplomatic row with the US in 2018, when an American pastor was detained in Turkey. In 2020, he called for a boycott of French goods after French President Emmanuel Macron made anti-Islam remarks.
Last year, Erdoğan blamed supermarket chains for the skyrocketing food inflation and called for a boycott of those engaging in “price gouging.” He repeated similar remarks at the beginning of this year, urging citizens to avoid shopping at businesses that exploit consumers with high prices. (VK)
