Visit of Support to Flormar Workers by 4 Labor Organizations

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The Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), Confederation of Public Employees Trade Unions (KESK), Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) and Turkish Medical Association (TTB) have paid a visit of solidarity and support to the workers of the cosmetic company Flormar, who were dismissed from their jobs for unionizing at Petrol-İş (Oil-Labor) Union.

The workers, the majority of whom are women, have been continuing their resistance in front of Flormar's factory in Gebze in İzmit for 161 days.

"We will continue to be on the side of laborers"

As reported by Sendika.org news website, Chairperson of the TMMOB, Emin Koramaz has stated that the resistance of Flormar, which was started under the State of Emergency conditions and has been continuing for the last 161 days, has been a source of hope and added:

"This resistance has come from Flormar and spread to whole Turkey in waves. It is not a crime in any country to be a member of a union in order to demand and claim the rights of the labor. Unionized workers cannot be dismissed from their jobs. Unfortunately, in countries such as ours, we frequently encounter such inhumane practices."

Referring to the situation of the 3rd Airport workers, some of whom were detained and arrested for having protested their bad working conditions and occupational homicides, Koramaz has also said,

"They were taken into custody, burst into pepper gas and charged with being terrorists. If there is terrorism somewhere, it is the ones who meet laborers with dismissals and gas. We will continue to be on the side of laborers."

Çerkezoğlu: No resistance of women can be defeated

After the speech of Koramaz, Chair of the TTB Sinan Adıyaman and DİSK Chair Arzu Çerkezoğlu have also addressed the workers of Flormar.

Çerkezoğlu has said, "No resistance, in the center of which stand women, can be defeated. Flormar resistance, which has gone down in history as a women's resistance, has been continuing with the excitement on its first day."

During the visit, the workers have also made a call for participation in the night of solidarity that will be held today (October 23). (HA/SD)