While the government officials continue calling to “Stay Home,” many workplaces continue their production and service. Due to the circumstances in workplaces alongside the risks in shuttle buses and public transport, the workers’ reaction to the situation is rising.
However, in some workplaces workers take effective steps against the working-related risks.
Turkey’s solidarity network “We Breathe Down the Bosses’ Neck” (PE) reports that the previous day, in the 200-worker factory of Sanel Auto Electronic in Maltepe, İstanbul, the workers stopped working to protest the lack of measures against the coronavirus.
After one worker was tested positive for Covid-19, the workers demanded annual leave, suspending production. However, the boss resumed production after only a one-day closedown. In response to this, organized in the factory, The United Metalworkers’ Union (Birleşik Metal-İş), affiliated to the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), announced that they will not work, using the right to “abstain from work” by the article 13 in Occupational Health and Safety Law.
Sanel workers suspended production the previous day, submitting their petition concerning their using the right to abstain from work to the boss. Workers will stay home for 14-day quarantine period.
During the suspension of production, the union’s affiliation, DİSK, has also issued a statement. “Except for the firms and working units that make essential, necessary and urgent goods and service production, working must be IMMEDIATELY stopped,” has called for the confederation. They have announced that unless their demand is met, they will abstain from work in the workplaces where they are organized in two days according to the same article of law.
The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) issued a declaration on stopping the production in nonvital sectors and necessary measures in working sectors last saturday. “Stop production in nonvital sectors, take maximum measures for workers in enterprises that have to continue operating,” called for the declaration.
TKP Central Committee member, Alpaslan Savaş, has reviewed the condition and the reaction of the workers.
“Building sites, factories, call centers and workshops... They continue working. Workers have to work, eat and sleep in their workplaces regardless of social distance rules. Some bosses force the workers to sign on papers writing “I am here on my own accord.”
Although the officials tweet “#StayHome,” in the shuttle buses, factory dining halls and production halls hundreds of people have to be in crowds. How can it be possible to combat the pandemic unless the production is suspended?”
Savaş points out the declaration that TKP issued last saturday, saying “We have called for stopping the production in nonvital sectors and taking maximum measures in other vital sectors across the country. This is a priority in a country that combats a pandemic. Everything without the aim of preventing it has to be stopped, and all kinds of effort to eliminate it have to be made with high safety measures in total mobilisation. However, what purpose can producing automobile possibly serve other than the bosses earn money?
The workers have had it now. Everybody is working anxiously. Nobody wants to be unemployed but everybody is aware that they are unsafe; therefore, these reactions are inevitable and highly significant in terms of both workers’ right and public health.”
