The strike officially began on the night of May 28 after months of talks between the municipality and Genel-İş yielded no agreement. Yesterday (May 29), workers gathered in Basmane Square and began a protest at Kültürpark. Today, members of Genel-İş union working for İZELMAN, İZENERJİ, and EGEŞEHİR marched to Gündoğdu Square carrying a banner that read, “We demand a collective agreement, not charity.”
Speaking on behalf of the striking workers, Genel-İş İzmir Branch No. 2 Chair Ercan Gül said, “We are not asking for more than we deserve – we are asking for our rights. Everyone should know that we will continue our struggle on the streets until we win our rights.”
Workers’ demands:
- Implementation of equal pay for equal work.
- Elimination of wage disparities among employees affiliated with different unions within the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality.
- Bridging the wage gap between the collective bargaining agreements made with the Türk-İş-affiliated Belediye-İş Union and the wages offered to their own union members.
- Ensuring fair and equal working conditions.
"Step by step, they pushed us into the streets"
Gül also addressed the public reaction, stating, “İzmir residents have been suffering for two days now. But who are they blaming? Us, the İZENERJİ, İZELMAN, and EGEŞEHİR workers who serve the people of İzmir. Before the strike, we made it clear that we are not the ones responsible for any disruptions. We say to the people of İzmir: The responsibility lies with the Metropolitan Mayor and the municipality’s bureaucrats.”
He further criticized public statements about workers’ salaries, saying the figures being cited do not reflect reality.
Genel-İş İzmir Branch No. 1 Chair Engin Topal also criticized the municipality's negotiation conduct, stating, “The main reason we’ve reached the second day of this strike is because İzmir Metropolitan Municipality officials do not respect the principles of collective bargaining. They pushed us into the streets step by step.”
(TY/DT)
