The bosses violate the Constitution again

Bilge Su Yıldırım

United Metal Workers' Union (Birleşik Metal-İş) protested in front of the German Consulate General in Beyoğlu, İstanbul against the dismissal without compensation of 22 workers at the German-owned Erlau Metal factory in Gebze, Kocaeli for exercising their union rights.

United Metal-İş General President Özkan Atar and Gebze Branch No. 1 executives participated in the protest in front of the Consulate General. A banner reading ‘Our right to union is unhindered’ was unfurled and slogans such as ‘For the sake of union, for the sake of DİSK’ and ‘We will not be slaves of the bosses’ were frequently chanted.

WHERE DOES FOREIGN CAPITAL GET THIS COURAGE?

At the protest, General President Atar made a statement. He noted that the union had contacted all institutions involved in the process, from the Ministry of Labour to the German Consulate General and Embassy, but the union's efforts had been left unanswered. Atar said that the company's management teams in both Germany and Turkey continued to violate the right to unionise.

‘From where does this German employer get the courage to openly violate the laws and the Constitution of Turkey?’ asked Atar and underlined that the political environment in which the AKP government disregards the rights of workers and labourers gives foreign capital the right to make Turkish workers and labourers work as slaves.

Atar reminded Erol Eğrek, who was beaten to death by holding guards in front of Çalık Holding three days ago, and said, ‘The price of seeking legal rights among the working class of Turkey is death, being fired from their jobs like Erlau workers, oppression and mobbing!’

HELL FOR WORKERS, HEAVEN FOR CAPITAL

Noting that the AKP government has turned the country into a hell for labourers and a paradise for foreign capital where ‘all kinds of mobilisations are declared’, Atar shared the report on violations of trade union rights prepared by the union with the public.

The report lists the union's demands as follows:

"- Immediate reinstatement of all dismissed workers,

- Recognition of our union and initiation of the collective bargaining process,

- German public authorities and public opinion to show sensitivity to the issue and take steps against these unlawful practices before the company.

- We demand that all multinational companies operating in Turkey act in accordance with the Turkish Constitution, laws, ILO conventions and the European Convention on Human Rights."

Note: This text has been translated from the original Turkish version titled Patronlar yine Anayasa’yı çiğniyor, published in BirGün newspaper on May 13, 2025.