Workers Dismissed from Şok Markets: 'Shift Supervisor Drove his Car into us'

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Dismissed from the warehouse of Şok Markets in Çayırova, Kocaeli over their union activities, four former workers are still protesting in front of the warehouse. A shift supervisor reportedly drove his car into the protesting workers today (January 21).

Speaking to bianet, Çetin Demir, a dismissed worker, has informed us that while they were protesting, the shift supervisor drove the car into them at full speed. While no one was wounded, Demir has also indicated that other unionized workers are pressured into submitting their resignation.

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'Police led him off, but did not detain him'

Demir has stated the following about the issue:

"At around 8.30 in the morning, just after the service shuttles left, the shift supervisor drove the car into us. This incident took place while the police were with us. No one has got wounded, but the shift supervisor got off the car and started calling us names. He cursed the organization expert of the Warehouse Harbor Shipyard and Maritime Workers Union (DGD-Sen).

"The police stepped in and led off the shift supervisor. But, they did not detain him. We will file a criminal complaint.

'Workers are forced to resign'

"Moreover, since we started protesting, the pressure on unionized workers still working at the warehouse has also intensified. Unionized workers are pressured by the executives into submitting their resignation, they are forced to resign in a threatening manner.

"As for the ones who have not resigned... The executives threaten them with heavier workload. They say that they will send the personnel to the branches in distant places which they cannot possibly reach. Since we started protesting, our four fellow workers have been made resign.

"Şok Markets also filed a criminal complaint against us over our protest, our two friends went to depose today. They pursue a policy of intimidation on the unionized workers."

DGD-Sen Union: We restore the honor of workers

The DGD-Sen Union has released a statement about the workers dismissed from the warehouse of Şok Markets over their union activities and protesting in front of the warehouse since then. "The gains of warning protest at Çayırova Şok warehouse", the statement reads, listing the following gains:

• We have restored the honor of workers. Workers witnessed that each one of their supervisors, chiefs, managers and directors afraid of the word "union" rushed from meeting to meeting.
• Disregarding public health, the bosses of the warehouse have started to clean the warehouse in a hurry.
• The windows and doors of the warehouse have been closed to prevent our voices from being heard by workers. The warehouse has been surrounded with canvas after the protest. Workers have come to know and recognize the fear of bosses.
• One worker who had a work accident was taken to a hospital in an ambulance. Normally, they did not treat workers as fellow human beings and just frog-marched them in a taxi.
• Normally, service shuttles did not leave the warehouse on 4.30 p.m. and the workers were forced to work overtime till 8 p.m. On the day of protest, the workers who wanted to leave on 4.30 p.m. could easily reach their homes in service shuttles.
• Warehouse director has been expelled from Çayırova warehouse.

(HA/SD)