CENTRAL NEWS
The İstanbul Labor Union Branches’ Platform (İŞSP) has released a statement regarding the May 1 Labor Day. Holding an online statement for the press, the platform shared information about the number of workers who have contracted novel coronavirus (Covid-19) in İstanbul, and have emphasised that workplaces continue to operate during curfews.
Speaking on behalf of the platform, İŞSP Term Spokesperson Sinan Ceviz has briefly stated the following:
“According to the information that we can obtain and verify, 3,544 workers have so far contracted the virus in the city while 2,902 workers suspected of getting infected are in quarantine, waiting for their test results.
“Ahead of May 1, ‘We don’t want to die’ has become our most urgent request. While a curfew is in effect at this very moment, several workplaces are still operating.
‘Workers are condemned to unemployment’
“Despite calls for ‘halt operations in all workplaces except for the urgent ones,’ we have seen factories and workplaces continue operating even during a general curfew. Workers are made to work, especially in Tuzla shipyards and construction sites.
“Though the authorities are called on to support workers and laborers during the pandemic with such measures as paid leaves, abolishment of taxes from wages, a decrease in the prices of basic consumption goods and provision of basic needs such as natural gas, water and electricity free of charge, these requests have not been met by the executives.”
Concluding his remarks, Ceviz noted that workers have been “condemned to unpaid leave and unemployment.”
