Union signs the labor contract, municipal workers strike further

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The collective labor agreement was signed on the 3rd day of the strike at İstanbul's Kadıköy Municipality today (February 18).

The Public Services Employees Union of Turkey (Genel-İş), under the umbrella of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), disregarded the Genel-İş İstanbul Anatolian Side No.1 Branch organized within the municipality and signed the contract at midnight.

The union branch representing 2,300 municipal workers have protested this decision and criticized the DİSK Genel-İş Central Office.

On strike for three days, the workers have also denounced the decision, announcing that they do not recognize it and will go on with their strike.

'Struggle will continue'

Ahmet Arıkan, the Chair of Genel-İş Union's İstanbul Anatolian No. 1 Branch, has made a statement after the Central Office signed the collective labor agreement. Arıkan has briefly said:

"We said, 'Let's conclude this issue in peace and reconciliation so that it will not be prolonged any longer and the rights of workers can be raised.'

"The answer we got was this: 'It is over now, it has been signed.' We do not accept the agreement, we won't. The municipal workers of Kartal are on the way, so are those of Ataşehir. We are here."

Referring to workers, Arıkan has stated:

"We have always said it: If you accept it, we will accept it. You don't accept, so, we don't accept, either. No one can say, threatening the worker, 'It is over, the agreement is over, everyone must now go back to work.' It will not be over until we say so. This struggle will continue."

Municipality: The lowest wage is 5,275 lira

Releasing a statement about the issue, the Municipality of Kadıköy has announced that agreement has been reached.

"With the signed agreement, the lowest net wage of a worker has been determined as 5,275 lira a month, excluding premiums and annual social aid," the Municipality has briefly said. (HA/SD)