The Marmaray workers are following the way paved by the TEKEL workers. The solidarity between the workers and the common resistance strengthened the Marmaray resistance. The TEKEL resistance that started in mid December has become a very important struggle from which the working class movement won lots of important experience. 01 April 2010 /International Bulletin / No: 92
As a project of which there are rare examples all over the world, the Marmaray tunnel that is planned to be installed at Istanbul Bosphorus had become an important source of the government for advertising. The workers employed at Marmaray building site have led a resistance which has become one of the most important ones in the last months. The workers that receive a very low salary and haven't had a pay rise for years aren't paid their insurance and must work in very unhealthy conditions. Before, they had made many times actions and stopped work. The Marmaray workers employed at the Polat Deniz Insaat subcontracting firm have lead a resistance since January 16, 2010 to improve the working conditions and to receive a salary appropriate to a human life. The workers occupied the construction area at Yenikapi, Istanbul on March 4. The occupation was realised by 40 workers when Kadir Topbas, mayor of Istanbul, visited the construction area for control. The workers shouted the slogans "The workers aren't alone" and "The day will come where everything will change and the bosses will render account to the workers". Due to the occupation, the boss had to accept to meet up with the workers and also accept different demands including to re-employ 60 workers who had been dismissed by him before. However, when the boss didn't sign the protocol on March 12 demanded by the workers, the workers again occupied their work place on March 17. More than 30 workers occupied the work place for a second time and carried the banner read "We are resisting for our work and rights". The boss promised again to have a meeting with the workers. The trial of the workers to become re-employed started at the Labour Court at Sirkeci courthouse on March 24. The workers made an action in front of the court. The trial was postponed to May 28. The Marmaray workers are following the way paved by the TEKEL workers. The solidarity between the workers and the common resistance strengthened the Marmaray resistance. The TEKEL resistance that started in mid December has become a very important struggle from which the working class movement won lots of important experience. This struggle became a topic on the political agenda of the class movement in the country, put pressure on the traditional yellow unions and drew the attention on itself of a broad social group. The TEKEL resistance gave power to other workers' resistances, too. The Marmaray resistance has become quite important in terms of being a resistance developing under the great influence of the TEKEL resistance. The Marmaray workers also attracted attention with their solidarity taken over from the TEKEL workers. The workers visited the workers of ATV-Sabah who have been leading a resistance for more than 1 year and showed solidarity with them. The Marmaray workers supported actions on different social questions and participated in marches. The Marmaray workers's visit of the TEKEL workers has been symbolising the peak of he continuance that couldn't be achieved in terms of the class movement The TEKEL workers shared the money they received for solidarity with the Marmaray workers and by that, they once more displayed another true example of solidarity. The working class movement that understood the importance of mutual solidarity has also been aware of the bosses that try to separate them from the unions such as Textil-Sen which are following the line of the class and show the workers the real way leading to their liberation. The Marmaray workers said "Textil-Sen is representing our will" and declared that they won't accept to meet up with the bosses without the union. The way from TEKEL to the Marmaray resistance is giving hope in terms of the course of development of the class movement under the destructing results of the world economic crisis.
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