From streets to factories, women workers in struggle

Bilge Su YILDIRIM

As another International Women's Day on 8 March has passed with all its joy, colour and glory, women continue to struggle for their rights, lives and labour all over the country.

Women workers, members of Birleşik Metal-İş, who are on strike at the Welding Technique (Kaynak Tekniği) factory in Gebze, Kocaeli, continue to fight for their labour.

There are 7 women workers at the Welding Technique factory. These 7 women have been resisting in front of the factory since the first day of the strike, which left behind its 37th day yesterday, sometimes dancing halay, sometimes bringing cakes, pastries and food they make at home to the strike zone. Since 31 January, the women who have not left the strike zone for their efforts have been at the very front lines of the struggle of the Welding Technique workers. Lale* is one of these 7 women. This strike is Lale's first strike, just like her other female colleagues. Lale says that this is the first time she has understood what it means to stand up for your rights, and continues, ‘We are already late in doing so'.

OUR LABOUR IS IN EVERY CORNER

‘Our strike continues with all its enthusiasm and excitement. Today (yesterday) is our 37th day. We spent 1 month with resistance. We are full of hope, we are waiting. While we are waiting, we value our resistance zone. I and our other women friends make pastries and desserts at home, bring them here and eat them together. We touched every corner of this strike tent. We brought tablecloths from our homes and laid them on our table, making it blossom like a flower. We brought a teapot so that we could brew tea, but thanks to our colleagues, they didn't allow us to do so, saying that the wood stove was not safe. They sometimes say, ‘’ ‘Let us do that much too’’. It is very nice to resist as a female metal worker and to demand what is rightfully ours as a woman.’

*The name of the metal worker woman was changed upon her request and used as Lale. 

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WE DO NOT FEAR LOUD VOICES!

In the strike at the Basic Gasket (Temel Conta) factory in Kemalpaşa, Izmir, which has left 100 days behind, women workers stand out. Women workers, who have been on strike for more than 3 months for their rights and just demands, say ‘We will be the winners’. Speaking to ANKA, the women workers, while talking about the difficulties they face, also say ‘Today we are more determined than yesterday’. Sinem Kaya, a woman worker for 11 years at Basic Gasket, explains what their resistance, which has been going on since 10 December 2024, has taught them: ‘We women are really strong. We just need to know how to speak up and not be afraid of that loud voice. If they force us to do something with a loud voice, let us make our voices louder. You can be sure that this will already be our achievement.’

Note: This article is translated from the original Turkish version titled Meydanlardan fabrikalara kadın işçiler mücadelede, published in BirGün newspaper on March 9, 2025