From Van Governor to thousands of sacked workers: Go to other cities and work there
VAN (DİHA) - Following the dismissal of 7,286 workers, who were employed by the Turkish Employment Agency (ISKUR) after the earthquake in Van, the workers have launched a sit-down protest action in Feqiye Teyran Park.
The workers, who have now been protesting for 5 days, say they will not leave the park until their rights are granted. Previously, the governate of Van removed the containers where people who lost their houses in the earthquakes of 23 October and 9 November in 2013 were located without providing secure and stable alternative housing. The spokesperson of the workers, Bayram Sarı, told that they were employed 3 years ago due to the earthquake and that they worked for 3 years with short term contracts, being dismissed and re-employed regularly every 3 months.
Van Governor: Go away and find a job in other provinces!
The governor of Van was the target of criticisms when he said to the families who were on hunger strike in protest at the loss of theoir homes, “The state has to be realistic”. For the workers who have been dismissed without job assurances, the governor of Van, Aydın Nezih Dogan said: “Go away and find a job in other provinces!” Bayram added: “They promised to ensure jobs for us for the rest of our lives by renewing our contracts every 9 months. But now, they have just dismissed us without finding us new jobs. They have to find a solution."
'Death feast, if it proves necessary'
Bayram concluded: "In the previous earthquakes, the state developed enduring solutions for the earthquake victims regarding their employment. But now they do not do anything for us, we even cannot contact the authorities. We need help, but the governor of Van sends us away by saying go to other cities to find jobs. But we have never left Van, and we will certainly not now. We will continue our actions, first the sit-down, then hunger strike, and then a death fast, if it proves necessary”.
(nt)
