Hürriyet Employees: We are Fired Because We are Unionized

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Forty-five members of the Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) who were dismissed from Demirören Media Group's Hürriyet newspaper in what the company called an "operational decision" have made a statement for the press in the union's building in Şişli, İstanbul.

Along with the dismissed journalists, executives of the union and press members attended the conference. Journalists who were fired from the daily Sözcü because being unionized also supported their colleagues.

Durmuş: Legal process has started

TGS Chair Gökhan Durmuş said, "We want respect for union rights," recalling the constitutional rights.

Saying that no one can be forced to become a member of a union or cancel his or her membership to a union, Durmuş stated that the legal process has started and the mediator talks will start tomorrow (November 7).

"Dismissal of our 45 members just as we approached the end in our efforts for unionization after the Doğan Group sold Hürriyet newspaper to the Demirören Group is an operation against journalists' union rights," he said.

"The only common point of the 45 people is the membership of the TGS"

"Moreover, our friends learned they are fired with the notifications that were sent to their homes when they were at work and conveyed to their mothers, spouses, fathers. Even our members who are in military service or maternity leave were included in the mass-firing.

"The only common point of the 45 people, including our Secretary-General for Education and İstanbul Branch Chairperson, is that they are members of the TGS.

"Here, we call the prosecutors for duty to take action against the executives of the Demirören Media who disregard the Constitution. Our union will work full effort for our colleagues to get all of their rights back, including reinstatement to their jobs.

"We call on the management of Hürriyet to respect the union rights of the employees and to sit down at the table with the union."

Turhan: We had reached a good point

Şebnem Turhan, a dismissed economy editor for the newspaper, spoke after Durmuş, saying that she witnessed many economic crises and austerity measures throughout her work life.

"We experienced an economic crisis in August last year. When we expected a wage increase close to the inflation rate, the management came with a one-digit increase. Realizing that our struggle on our own will not yield a result and saying, 'We are stronger together," we began union work. Just as we reached a good point, those who do union work were dismissed in late October. We will fight to the end to get our rights back.

Tuna: I found out when I checked my emails

TGS İstanbul Branch Chair Banu Tuna, who is also among the dismissed employees, said that she was a 23-year employee for Hürriyet and that she found out her dismissal when she checked her emails, in a statement to bianet.

"When I found out I was dismissed from the job, I was not in the newspaper. Reports began to come out in the morning that there are dismissed employees among my friends. When I tried to sign-in my mailbox, it said that my account is blocked, so I realized that I was among the dismissed.

"Hürriyet, to this day, was an organization that paid salaries of its employees without delay. Hürriyet used to bid farewell to people in a civilized way, although it was disputable that if the dismissal is right. To this day, these were a consolation for us. This method is not something that is seen in the history of Hürriyet.

"We almost succeeded"

"Actually we knew that our job is difficult and risky when we began union work one-and-a-half years ago. We almost succeeded. We do not regret that.

"It is very clear that the Hürriyet newspaper dismissed us because we are unionized. Because our number reached a critical point. It is clear as day.

"Now, the union will call them for a meeting because they did not call us for compensation talks. From now on, the union will follow the case." (HA/VK)