Oya Baydak who was on strike in a tent after dismissed from General Service Workers (Genel-İş) subjected to Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), her supporters from Revolutionary Workers’ Movement and General Service Workers’ members fought.
In the morning, a group of workers from Genel-İş wanted to make a statement in front of DİSK’s headquarters in Şişli district of İstanbul related to strike of Baydak who chained up the building and was on strike in a tent for a week.
An uproar broke out between DİSK Chairman Kani Beko, trades union members and Oya Baydak and her supporters from Revolutionary Workers’ Movement. Oya Baydak fell to the ground among the fight. Genel-İş members removed chains from the building’s door.
"During the fight, Istanbul provincial Branch Manager, Lawyer Diren Yeşil, was hit in the head by a piece of wood. Our member, lawyer Özgür Yılmaz, was battered,” said Contemporary Lawyers' Association.
“She refused to make tea or coffee”
Oya Baydak who had been dismissed by Mayorship of Fatih district of İstanbul four and a half years ago was a janitor in General Service Workers’ headquarters in European side of İstanbul. She was dismissed from General Service Workers in the previous days. Oya Baydak expected an apology from DİSK Chairman Kani Beko and wanted to take her job back by staying in a tent in front of DİSK headquarters.
DİSK indicated that Baydak was dismissed because she refused to make tea or coffee.
Baydak denied in a written statement:
“All along my life, I am motivated by class consciousness and revolutionary understanding. I even welcomed and invited other janitors and workers to drink tea.”
DİSK remarked they wouldn’t allow the confederation to be invaded after the fight and added Oya Baydak was righteously dismissed and it wasn’t a protest to have a right to legal remedies. Protest was planned by Revolutionary Workers’ Movement according to DİSK. (NV/BD)
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