Yes, trade unions, political parties, non-governmental organizations and parliamentarians participated in the protests of Özak Tekstil workers against inhumane working conditions and union oppression. Neither the exercise of the democratic rights to assembly and demonstration as granted by the Constitution nor the support of political party representatives and parliamentarians to workers is a crime.

1- There is no single evidence of how and by what means this alleged pressure and threat was carried out. For example, how was this pressure and threat carried out? Was force and violence used? If so, why was this not done when it should have been concretely identified and made the subject of a criminal complaint?

If, on the other hand, the pressure to resign and become a member was in the form of threatening the employee with dismissal and dismissal (which is usually how resignation from the union or forcing membership to another union is done), then for this threat to be concretely effective, shouldn't one or more workers who are members of Öz İpllik-İş and who refuse to resign and become members of BİRTEK-SEN be dismissed? As you can appreciate, in order for this to happen, there must be a clear collaboration between the union exerting this pressure and the employer. Because no union has the authority to fire a worker. The inspectors of the Ministry of Labor should know, as well as everyone else, that this is not possible. Only the employer or the workplace authorities who exercise authority on his behalf can fire a worker. And again, everyone knows that in every case of unionization where such threats and pressures are experienced, the main factor that puts pressure and threats on workers to join or not to join a union, to resign or not to resign, is the fear that the worker will lose his/her job, i.e. be fired or be subjected to discrimination and mobbing by the management at the workplace. The only people who have the power to exert this pressure and threat on workers are the employer or the employer's representatives in the workplace. It is only possible for a union to have such a deterrent power of pressure and intimidation if it cooperates with the employer.

Since there is no concrete finding in the report and in the justification for the penalty imposed on our union that we put pressure on workers through force and violence for resignation and membership, do the ministry inspectors who reached this conclusion as a result of the inspections think that BİRTEK-SEN is in cooperation with the Özak employer? This is a contradiction in need of explanation. If so, that is to say, if our union has established this pressure on the workers in cooperation with the employer - because it is not possible otherwise - then is it not the employer who should be held responsible and punished?

2- Again, in the ministry's decision, when calculating the fine imposed on our union, it was calculated not on the number of workers who resigned due to the alleged pressure and threats and became members of our union but on the number of workers who did not resign and remained members of Öz İplik-İş. This is another contradiction that shows that the report is utterly baseless and far from stating the facts.

The justification for the unjust penalty imposed on our union is the victimization of the workers whom we allegedly forced to become members of BİRTEK-SEN through pressure and threats. But for some reason, none of them resigned and continued their Öz İplik-İş membership. In order for the alleged threats and pressure to have tangible credibility, shouldn't at least a few of the Öz İplik-İş member workers shown as victims have resigned?

3- Contrary to the determination and decision of the Ministry, the workers who were victimized by being forced to become a member of another union were not Öz İplik-İş members, which is openly protected by the Özak employer, but the workers who resigned from this union of their own free will and became BİRTEK-SEN members. Because Öz İplik-İş has cooperated with the boss and has not defended the rights and interests of the workers. Özak employer fired 398 workers on the very days when the ministry inspectors inspected the workplace, and all of these workers were members of BİRTEK-SEN.

The actions which are tried to be criminalised in this unlawful decision of the Ministry, are legitimate, peaceful and constitutional, starting with the justified reaction of more than 500 workers. These actions are against the employer and the Öz İplik-İş Union, which openly collaborates with the employer, who usurp the right of workers to choose a union through pressure, threats, mobbing and dismissals.

The notification prepared by the Provincial Directorate of İŞKUR under the Ministry of Labor is clearly designed to punish the struggling workers and their unions in the interests of the bosses. All factories in Şanlıurfa Organized Industrial Zone are built with state incentives. Even part of the workers' wages, insurance premiums and other incentives are paid from the Unemployment Fund and treasury resources there. The highest wage is the minimum wage in Şanlıurfa Organized Industrial Zone. The bosses exploit the workers, and the national funds come out of the workers' pockets to the bone. We know, of course, that in such a region, it would not be easy for workers to unite and demand their rights. We know that in such a region, the bosses, who make their fortunes on the backs of tens of thousands of workers at almost zero cost, will do everything they can to keep workers' wages at the poverty line. This is the reason for the attacks on workers and our union. This is the reason why the state confronted us with all its mechanisms in our struggle at Özak Tekstil. The boss, who realizes that he cannot overcome the workers' struggle with detention, demand for arrest, and ban on action, is now trying to intimidate our union through financial means by bringing the Ministry into play. This attack is not only against BİRTEK-SEN, but against all laborers who raise their voices against the conditions of slavery and all unions representing them. With this notification, The Ministry of Labor and the Provincial Directorate of İŞKUR is basically saying the following: “If you oppose the boss as you did in Özak Tekstil; if you seek your rights; if you defend your bread, your honor; if you do not submit to the conditions of slavery, you will be punished”.

The world has witnessed the anti-worker attitude of Öz İplik İş and Özak Tekstil management. The whole world has witnessed the state's opposition to Özak Tekstil workers with all its mechanisms. However, the whole world has also witnessed in Özak Tekstil's case that rightful and organized workers and a struggling union based on the just demands and will of the workers will never back down in the face of such attacks. Our union, BİRTEK-SEN, was founded by workers who act with the awareness that it is necessary to grow the organization and struggle in the face of every attack and continues to grow with these workers. We will continue to struggle with the same determination against the attacks of the anti-worker and anti-union textile bosses, especially the Özak Tekstil boss, and the official institutions acting in cooperation with them. Workers in Şanlıurfa Organized Industrial Zone and in the region that has been turned into a paradise for cheap labor will organize and increase the struggle against the conditions of slavery and misery. This order of slavery and misery will change with the struggle of united workers and BİRTEK-SEN.

BİRTEK-SEN General President

Mehmet Turkmen