İstanbul municipal workers conclude protests after gains

Click to read the article in Turkish

The protests launched by the workers of İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality's Tree and Landscape Corporation (Ağaç AŞ) on August 14 have concluded on the eighth day (August 21) with favorable outcomes.

Besides wage increases, additional rights have been secured for the first time for Ağaç AŞ workers, The United Agriculture-Forestry Workers' Union (BTO-Sen) said on social media.

Today, workers once again marched and gathered outside the city hall in the Fatih district. They chanted slogans like, "İstanbul, wake up, stand by your workers," and "We will win by resisting," "Ağaç AŞ workers are not slaves."

The union said on social media, "It's enough to receive the lowest wage while performing the heaviest job for Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality! We will win by resisting!" it said.

Parliamentary question

Meanwhile, Green Left Party MP Cengiz Çiçek brought the Ağaç AŞ workers' resistance to the Parliament's agenda.

In his parliamentary question, Cengiz Çiçek asked the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Vedat Işıkhan, whether the ministry has any studies regarding the union pressures against Ağaç AŞ workers.

Çiçek also inquired about the allegations that migrant workers are employed under precarious conditions in place of the protesting Ağaç AŞ workers. He questioned whether there are any plans from the Ministry to address the increasing pressures on trade union and strike rights in recent years. (VC/VK)