The struggle of working class in Tuzla Shipyard is rising by the honourable and militant resistance of the workers in DESAN shipyard. This time, the lawless and slavery working conditions in the shipyards, dying of workers due to the unsecured work and cheap labour are being added with the offensive of non-payment of workers` wages for months. DESAN workers have started a resistance under the leadership of their trade-union, Limter-Is (Shipyard Workers Union), in order to get their unpaid wages. The workers` basin in Tuzla is witnessing the growing militant awakening and action of 55 workers those who are working in DESAN.

In 8 days, the resisting workers have replied in commitment against the attacks carried out with gas bombs, threats and truncheons by the militarist forces and police of the state. On the 31st of May, due to the police attack, 7 workers are wounded and 35 workers, including the General President of Limter-Is, Cem Dinc and other unionists, taken into custody. But the resistance did not stop and it is still continuing.

The support for the DESAN resistance is also growing through, at first, stopping of production and blocking of traffic by 500 workers in Tuzla shipyards, and through the statements and visits of representatives from different trade-unions, mass organisations and parties in Turkey. This resistance waits to be grown more and more by the international class support of the world working class.

In Tuzla basin, the terror of the capital and the state and the militant resistance of the labour and workers have come face to face on the axes of labour-capital contradiction. In a period where the working class and labouring masses in Turkey are being tried to be separated from each other and divided on the basis of Turk-Kurd, Secular/Anti-Secular and Alevi-Sunni contradictions through the propagandas and dirty politics of the colonialist fascist regime; so are being tried to be distanced from their own class interests, the appearance of the DESAN workers on the basis of their class interest and identity is representing a call and reply in practice against those state policies.

The resistance, at the same time, shows that Limter-Is, a revolutionary trade-union, is getting organised through determined struggle and resistance, and is advancing by destroying the barricades of offensive. It also shows that the syndical organisation of workers in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan, where the number of unionised workers are dropped to 5%, can only be achieved through struggle and by its self-power and action.

The fascist police have attacked to the resistance by getting strength from the new TMY (Anti-Terror Law). Therefore, even the success and security of the demand for payment of wages is connected to the successes and achievements of the working class on political arena. And the struggle points out the task, the unification of the struggle with the struggle against TMY. Limter-Is has stressed this reality by saying "the attack against the workers has also ended the lies on the police democracy, which put their bodies as barricade in defence of the bosses".

DESAN resistance is a struggle against the imperialist globalisation attacks, lawless and flexible work and disunionisation. It is, therefore, a part of the international working class struggle. The support of the sections of the international proletariat, their mass organisations, unions and political parties will strengthen the DESAN workers` struggle. DESAN resistance is a vanguard, awaking intervention on the sleeping working class in Istanbul, the city of proletariat. It is a spark. The liberation of the class would pass from grow and increase of such vanguard awakenings, and their advance by merging with the elements of consciousness and organisation.

MLCP International Bureau Statement No: 10

MLCP Turkey/Northern Kurdistan

International Bureau