As the strike of construction workers of the new İstanbul airport continues on its 4th day amidst oppressions, The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) and All Workers Militant Front (PAME) in Greece declared solidarity with the workers in their statements on September 17.
In their statement, PAME confirmed being "firmly on the side of İstanbul airport workers" and condemned the "unacceptable working conditions and repressions against workers' mobilizations." Criticising the violence and repression of the Turkish government against the workers, PAME also demanded the "immediate satisfaction" of the "fair demands of construction workers".
Noting that tens of people have died so far at the airport construction site even according to official figures due to the thirst for the profit of the capitalist class, WFTU said that even this fact reveals how the workers toil in conditions of slavery.
WFTU also noted that the workers have been subjected to the violent attacks of the gendarme since they demanded fair work conditions. Demanding the immediate release of hundreds of workers taken into custody at the weekend. "Long live the international solidarity of the working class! Long live the proletarian internationalism", ended the statement of WFTU.
POLICE AND GENDARME BLOCKADE AT THE AIRPORT CONSTRUCTION SITE
The police and gendarme forces continue oppressing the workers following the recent protest of them. The security forces run tight identification control procedures at the entrance of the airport construction site on September 17, keeping hundreds of workers at long queues during the day.
One of the workers interviewed by soL news said: "The ones who try to formulate a conspiracy theory about the protest of the workers and the planned opening of the airport on October 29 should see that the problems of the workers are real." Some pro-government figures claimed that the strike of the construction workers seemed suspicious on a time when the airport opening ceremony has got closer. The new airport is scheduled to open on October 29, the anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. The contractors have been forcing workers to work day and night for months to finish the construction of İstanbul airport, one of Turkey's President Erdoğan's mega development projects, at the planned time.
Hundreds of labourers were arrested late on September 14 as the security forces sought to break up a demonstration outside the airport construction site. The protest broke out after a shuttle bus accident in which 17 workers were injured. Thousands of workers joined the demonstration. Police used tear gas at the construction site on September 14 to break up the protest by the workers who were demanding better conditions, including improved safety at the site.
As some resources report that around 400 workers have been killed at the site since the beginning of the massive airport project, the AKP government denies such reports and says that 27 workers died since the construction had begun in May 2015.
