The struggle against the crisis is growing
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At the rally attention was drawn to the strikes and resistances against the crisis, and at the same time the mass demanded the excavation of the wells in Kurdistan where many forced disappeared had been murdered and thrown into and the enlightenment of the extra-judicial killings.

01 March 2009 /International Bulletin / Issue 79

 

"The crisis won't affect us" said prime minister Tayyip Erdogan first (September 2008)..."The crisis won't affect us this much" said prime minister Tayyip Erdogan later on (October 2008) when the crisis started to show its effect... "Stop crying, thank god" said again Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (February 2009) when it became clear that the crisis will definitely affect us much...
However, according to the statements made by the confederation DISK in Fenruary 2009, the number of unemployed people in Turkey rose by 939,000 between November 2007 and November 2008. Within this one year the unemployment rate rose by 20.1 % and the official number of unemployed people reached almost 3 million. Nevertheless, the real number is guessed to be twice high. Unemployment has shown itself mainly in the service sector with a number of 48.6% unemployed. Among those sectots being mostly effected by the crisis are the building sector, agriculture and industry. While the building sector has declined by 20%, there have been bankruptcies in the textile sector one after another. Until now 47.000 companies went broke. In the automobile sector 3 big companies interrupted the production. Many work places took the crisis as a pretext and tried to get more profit through laying off people, not paying overtime hours and forcing the workers to go on holiday. The workers and labourers who are tried to pay for the bill of the crisis don't stay silent.
There have been many resistances and strikes realised against the crisis at many work places. Selga Textile workers who had carried out a resistance for days under the leadership of the union Textile-Sen to demand their rights occupied their work place when their boss dismissed them under the pretext of the crisis and wanted to transport the machines somewhere else. When the workers were attacked by the police and formed barricades and clashed with the police, their boss had to admit that he was surprised seeing the power of the workers coming from the production by saying: "I didn't know that you are this determined".
Phillips workers locked their general manager in his office and declared to fight for their rights until they will have success. Female worker Emine Arslan who was dismissed from DESA in Istanbul became the symbol of all women resisting against the crisis and the bosses and demanding their rights. In mid January 100 workers were dismissed from Safak Textile in Istanbul with the crisis as a pretext and without being paid their overtime hours and their salaries since November 2008. Under the leadership of Textil-Sen the workers occupied their work places and took their boss as hostage. The workers also clashed with the police and showed a resistance for days. The boss then had to pay the whole amount the workers were entitled to.
The increase of unemployment and poverty as a result of the crisis has lead to an important rage and determination for struggle among the workers and labourers. In order to prevent that the bill of the crisis will be made paid by the workers and labourers, the workers, labourers and youth are discussing the opportunities of a united struggle and realise actions in many cities. One of these actions was the rally on Fenruary 15, 2009 in Kadikoy, Istanbul.
Nearly 100,000 workers and labourers participated in this action against the crisis called on by the unions KESK , DISK and Turk-Is and supported by different revolutionary democratic organisations. In the speeches hold at the rally as well as the mass itself said "We won't pay the bill of the crisis" and demanded an immediate end of the lay-offs for the profit of the state and the bosses and called on to show resistance against the crisis. The rally was joined by a high number of workers and labourers who were recently laid off under the pretext of the crisis.
At the rally attention was drawn to the strikes and resistances against the crisis, and at the same time the mass demanded the excavation of the wells in Kurdistan where many forced disappeared had been murdered and thrown into and the enlightenment of the extra-judicial killings.
The state that wants to let the workers and labourers pay the bill of the crisis even made some of the hundred thousands of people who lost their jobs because of the crisis and becoming heavily in debt committing suicide as it happens during every period of a crisis. Businessmen committed suicide when they suddenly became heavily indepted. A peasant becmong insane in a village next to Edirne shot and killed two children.
When taking a look on the crisis in general, there is the fact that must be taken seriously that the workers act more and more with their class consicous. This has been openly declared by Selga Textile workers. The closer the elections come, the more is the AKP that tries to show itself as a friend of the workers protested and the less do people believe in the promises the AKP is giving to the workers and labourers. The answer that the workers and labourers will give to the AKP on March 29 won't be only addressed to the AKP but to the bosses and the state, too, and it will be in the way they best understand.

 

 

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The struggle against the crisis is growing
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At the rally attention was drawn to the strikes and resistances against the crisis, and at the same time the mass demanded the excavation of the wells in Kurdistan where many forced disappeared had been murdered and thrown into and the enlightenment of the extra-judicial killings.

01 March 2009 /International Bulletin / Issue 79

 

"The crisis won't affect us" said prime minister Tayyip Erdogan first (September 2008)..."The crisis won't affect us this much" said prime minister Tayyip Erdogan later on (October 2008) when the crisis started to show its effect... "Stop crying, thank god" said again Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (February 2009) when it became clear that the crisis will definitely affect us much...
However, according to the statements made by the confederation DISK in Fenruary 2009, the number of unemployed people in Turkey rose by 939,000 between November 2007 and November 2008. Within this one year the unemployment rate rose by 20.1 % and the official number of unemployed people reached almost 3 million. Nevertheless, the real number is guessed to be twice high. Unemployment has shown itself mainly in the service sector with a number of 48.6% unemployed. Among those sectots being mostly effected by the crisis are the building sector, agriculture and industry. While the building sector has declined by 20%, there have been bankruptcies in the textile sector one after another. Until now 47.000 companies went broke. In the automobile sector 3 big companies interrupted the production. Many work places took the crisis as a pretext and tried to get more profit through laying off people, not paying overtime hours and forcing the workers to go on holiday. The workers and labourers who are tried to pay for the bill of the crisis don't stay silent.
There have been many resistances and strikes realised against the crisis at many work places. Selga Textile workers who had carried out a resistance for days under the leadership of the union Textile-Sen to demand their rights occupied their work place when their boss dismissed them under the pretext of the crisis and wanted to transport the machines somewhere else. When the workers were attacked by the police and formed barricades and clashed with the police, their boss had to admit that he was surprised seeing the power of the workers coming from the production by saying: "I didn't know that you are this determined".
Phillips workers locked their general manager in his office and declared to fight for their rights until they will have success. Female worker Emine Arslan who was dismissed from DESA in Istanbul became the symbol of all women resisting against the crisis and the bosses and demanding their rights. In mid January 100 workers were dismissed from Safak Textile in Istanbul with the crisis as a pretext and without being paid their overtime hours and their salaries since November 2008. Under the leadership of Textil-Sen the workers occupied their work places and took their boss as hostage. The workers also clashed with the police and showed a resistance for days. The boss then had to pay the whole amount the workers were entitled to.
The increase of unemployment and poverty as a result of the crisis has lead to an important rage and determination for struggle among the workers and labourers. In order to prevent that the bill of the crisis will be made paid by the workers and labourers, the workers, labourers and youth are discussing the opportunities of a united struggle and realise actions in many cities. One of these actions was the rally on Fenruary 15, 2009 in Kadikoy, Istanbul.
Nearly 100,000 workers and labourers participated in this action against the crisis called on by the unions KESK , DISK and Turk-Is and supported by different revolutionary democratic organisations. In the speeches hold at the rally as well as the mass itself said "We won't pay the bill of the crisis" and demanded an immediate end of the lay-offs for the profit of the state and the bosses and called on to show resistance against the crisis. The rally was joined by a high number of workers and labourers who were recently laid off under the pretext of the crisis.
At the rally attention was drawn to the strikes and resistances against the crisis, and at the same time the mass demanded the excavation of the wells in Kurdistan where many forced disappeared had been murdered and thrown into and the enlightenment of the extra-judicial killings.
The state that wants to let the workers and labourers pay the bill of the crisis even made some of the hundred thousands of people who lost their jobs because of the crisis and becoming heavily in debt committing suicide as it happens during every period of a crisis. Businessmen committed suicide when they suddenly became heavily indepted. A peasant becmong insane in a village next to Edirne shot and killed two children.
When taking a look on the crisis in general, there is the fact that must be taken seriously that the workers act more and more with their class consicous. This has been openly declared by Selga Textile workers. The closer the elections come, the more is the AKP that tries to show itself as a friend of the workers protested and the less do people believe in the promises the AKP is giving to the workers and labourers. The answer that the workers and labourers will give to the AKP on March 29 won't be only addressed to the AKP but to the bosses and the state, too, and it will be in the way they best understand.