Trendyol delivery workers detained during protest for better wages

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In Esenyurt district of İstanbul, employees of Trendyol, one of Turkey's largest e-commerce platforms, have been staging a protest since August 28, demanding their reinstatement after being dismissed due to their involvement in union activities.

Led by the DGD-Sen and PTT-Sen unions, the protesting delivery workers marked their 24th day of demonstrations today outside the company's headquarters in Maslak.

Union representatives and workers expressed their frustration with the company's unresponsiveness to their requests for dialogue. "We will continue our resistance here day and night continuously. We welcome all supporters of labor rights to join us here. For those who cannot be here physically, we urge you to support us through social media."

After a while, police intervened in a sit-in protest held by the workers, detaining several of them.

Footage shared by DGD-SEN's social media account captured a worker asserting, "There is injustice and unlawfulness in the workplace. Where else can workers seek their rights? What we are doing is a constitutional right." In response, the police said, "Sitting here is not your constitutional right."

Despite the intervention, the workers and union officials vowed to continue their protest.

Similar to other online delivery companies, Trendyol saw a surge in its growth during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, as demand for restaurant and grocery deliveries soared.

Growing online delivery companies have faced numerous protests by delivery workers in recent years. Most of these workers operate on a "gig" model with no job security, leading them to organize protests across various locations in Turkey, demanding better working conditions and better pay. (VC/VK)