Excavation workers of the archaeological excavation area of İstanbul's Haydarpaşa, who started to fight last week for their wages working, received their wages after starting a strike.
On Friday, the workers who have been working in the site for 8 months made a press statement due to the third month of nonpayment.
Haydarpaşa train station, which was built in 1909, is one of the most iconic landscapes of Istanbul, Kadıköy on the Asian side. The train station was suspended for all train service on the 19th of June, 2013 due to the rehabilitation of the existing line for the new railroad, Marmaray. Archeological excavation began in and around the train station with 400 construction workers, archeologists and museum experts in 2017 to discover the antique history of Kadıköy.
Amidst the excavation continues, over 400 construction workers could not get their wages for the past 3 months. They have been forced to work in poor conditions at the historical excavation site opened for restoration works of the Haydarpaşa.
Workers contacted PE (”We Breathe Down the Bosses’ Neck”), the solidarity network initiated by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), established The Workers’ Committee of Haydarpaşa and called workers to action for their unpaid wages last week.
On the 13th of May, The Workers’ Committee of Haydarpaşa demonstrated the press statement they called a week ago. With the slogans “Breathe down the bosses’ neck”, “Organised labor will defeat the capital”, “Haydarpaşa workers are not alone”, and “The people united will never be defeated”, workers declared that they are not accepting the slavery conditions enforced to them, “we will pursue our constitutional rights”.
Associations and intellectuals also supported the press statement.
Dicle Kaya, the spokesperson for the İstanbul office of Archeologists Association said: “Archeology is teamwork and excluding the workers from their rights is not acceptable”.
“Workers should get what they deserve”, said archeologist professor Dr. Oğuz Tanındı, while underlying it is a shameful occasion for an archeologist.
Orhan Aydın, who is an artist and author for the soL news portal, reminded the pillage against Haydarpaşa and declared that he will follow the case until the workers get their rights.
COMPENSATIONS PAID DURING THE PRESS STATEMENT
During the press statement, the compensations of the workers who were not attended the press statement were paid by the employer.
Workers explained this act of the employer company is a trial to create separation between the workers. During the press statement, the workers reminded the boss that the employer company has time until next Friday, the 20th of March.
The press statement was made by a worker on behalf of the Workers’ Committee of Haydarpaşa, Sinan Küçük.
EMPLOYER COMPANY KKC MARMARAY THREATENED THE WORKERS
In the statement, workers revealed KKC Marmaray company’s threats and trials to guilt the workers to jeopardize the workers from their struggles.
The workers have not been paid for three months, without lunch and transportation fees, under unhealthy conditions that are not even compatible with human dignity.
WORKERS USED THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
Against KKC Marmaray Company, the workers began strike action to get their compensations which have not been paid for 100 days, by using their right under the 34th article of labor law.
Amidst the workers' action, the feared company promised to compensate the wages on the 20th of March, Friday. However, this promise was not to be kept by the employer.
EMPLOYER RETRACTED FROM COMPENSATION PROMISE
Although the compensation payment was promised as of the strike action of the workers, the employer company retracted from its promise.
According to the company, the state doesn’t have funds, and it hasn’t funded Kalyon-Kolin-Cengiz Construction Company yet; thus, the subcontractor Ege Yapı Ray couldn’t get paid either.
The Kalyon-Kolin-Cengiz Construction Company is known for its close relations and ties with the ruling reactionary and neo-liberal government in Turkey, the AKP.
“LIKE IT OR LEAVE IT”
Not all the workers should get their compensations in every month, for the boss of Ege Yapı Ray Company, and the workers should work under these circumstances revealed by the Workers’ Committee. The workers were offered that they can leave if they do not like the conditions of the company.
Küçük underlined that it is a confession to force workers without paying; the only victim is the workers, stated the spokesperson for the Haydarpasa Workers, by underlying the company tries to mislead public opinion.
The workers who refuse the 1700 years old slavery conditions declared their dedication to their struggle, they are aware of their constitutional rights, and they will follow until success.
