Dear Friends,
Representatives of democratic mass organizations,
Unions, defenders of workers’ rights

We call you!!!!

Whilst our trade union, Trade Union of Municipality Workers, was carrying out activities to make workers members of the union, 3 workers who are members of our union got fired on 18th August, 2009 in Esenyurt, which is a district in İstanbul. As a result of this, we launched a campaign/resistance for those workers. Until now16 workers have been fired because of being a member of the union. The municipality does insist on not to recognize the union. From that day on, all workers gather in front of the Esenyurt Municipality Hall during working hours from 08:00 to 18:00 and struggle to get back their jobs and their rights.

Yet with the fact that they are not able to prevent the union from further activities by doing that, deputy mayor of Esenyurt municipality, Emin Batmazoğlu, and mayor of the municipality, Necmi Kadıoğlu , assaulted workers physically and verbally.

We, Trade Union of Municipality Workers/ Istanbul, hold picket in front of the Municipality Hall in Esenyurt every Wednesday at 12:00 Additionally, we are organizing and joining many other activities to hold public opinion about our struggle in Esenyurt/Istanbul.

You can support us by showing your democratic reaction by calling and faxing Esenyurt Municipality on the issue of unlawful policies of the mayor. We also call upon other Trade Unions to stand against this attack which does not only target us but also all trade union activities. We can stop all these attacks against worker by uniting.

These workers also need financial support to continue to struggle. We are now able to cover their lunch and travel expenses. We also are organizing certain events to get fund for these workers.

All democratic mass organizations come together in Esenyurt to support the struggle of council workers first time in their history. The workers stand outside of the hall without any shield. The total number of workers in Esenyurt Municipality is 234 and only 38 of them are member of Trade Union of Municipality Workers Istanbul Branch 2.

With commence of campaign, our demands are listed below:

1. We want the mayor of the Municipality to stop attacking our constitutional right to become a member of the union. The Mayor of the Municipality must respect this.
2. All fired workers must get their job back.
3. Union as an organization of workers must get recognition.

International public opinion has significant importance to get our demands accepted in this struggle.

Therefore we appreciate your support and solidarity in this manner.

Representative of Trade Union of Municipality Workers Istanbul Branch 2

Chairman
HASAN GÜLÜM

Contact addresses:

BELEDİYE-İŞ 2 NO’LU ŞUBE
Hocaüveyiz Mahallesi Akdeniz Caddesi No: 90/1
FATİH-İSTANBUL
TEL- FAX: 00 90 2125250824
GSM HASAN GÜLÜM: 00 90 532 527 56 78

For protest letter:

ESENYURT BELEDİYESİ
TEL: 00 90 2126220333 FAX:00 90 2126220399