Turkey's government suspends strike in metal sector

​AKP has suspended the strike in metal sector started Friday morning for 60 days. The reason for the government is that the strike threatens national security
Friday, 20 January 2017 15:15

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has postponed a strike in Turkey’s metal sector for 60 days, citing national security. More than two thousand workers from 13 factories in the metal sector went on strike Friday morning.  

The decision of a Cabinet of Ministers, signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is published in the Official Gazette.

The strike decision was taken by the majority of workers in each of the enterprises. The workers are organized by BMIS (United Metalworkers' Union), affiliated to DİSK (Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey).

WORKERS NOT STEPPING BACK

The strike started on Friday morning was cut by the suspension decision of the government. This decision taken by the pro-business ruling party AKP drew the reaction from the workers in the strike. In response,  BMIS announced that the workers in the strike will not go back to work until Monday, January 23.

According to the public statement made by the union, “it should be known that metal workers will not conform with these unlawful actions of the government that start to turn into a habit. We will continue to fight against the attacks of the government and capitalists aiming to abolish workers’ rights.”

BMIS also added that the workers employed in factories of EMİS (the employers’ union) will not go back to work until Monday. Then, says to the statement, “how to proceed in this struggle will be decided along with the workers, as always”.

TMMOB SUPPORTS THE STRIKE IN METAL SECTOR

TMMOB (Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects) announced their support for the workers in the strike. TMMOB stated that “suspension decision taken by the government once again showed how the AKP government continues its attacks against labor”.

According to their statement, TMMOB salutes the resistance of the workers and publicly announces that they will act with solidarity for the strike to be successful and struggle with the workers shoulder to shoulder.