İSTANBUL - The workers who welcomed May 1 on the eve of the elections this year said: “We will work as if we did not know. We are going to the elections, now this government needs to change.

 

May 1, the Day of Unity, Struggle and Solidarity of all workers of the world, is welcomed this year on the eve of the elections to be held on May 14 in Turkey and Kurdistan. The workers and laborers, who face both May 1 and the elections with many problems, have difficulty in meeting even their most basic needs such as nutrition and shelter in a process where the minimum wage is below the hunger limit.

 

The only desire of the workers, who cannot receive the reward for their efforts despite the increase in their working hours, is a humane life. Polishing and cutlery manufacturing workers working in Sarı Dökümcüler Sitesi in Bayrampaşa district of Istanbul and Emintaş 3 Topçular Industrial Site in Eyüpsultan district talked about their working conditions and the problems they experienced.

 

WORKING CONDITIONS

 

İlhan Ateş, who has been working in the industrial site for a year, stated that there is no occupational health and safety, and he complained about not getting the reward for his efforts. Ateş said: “The conditions in which we work are very harsh. Dust and rust everywhere. I am married and have 5 children. I have a day off on Sundays, but I have to come and work that day as the wage is not enough. The money we receive as minimum wage is only enough for rent. There is no May 1st for us now. We even work on holidays. I only took one day off during Ramadan Feast. I worked after that."

 

WORKERS MUST WORK ON MAY 1

 

Mehmet Sayan, who has been working on the site for 10 years, said that although he is single, he barely makes a living, Mehmet Sayan said: "May 1 in Turkey has only its name. Even though it was Labor Day, it was not valid for us. We'll act like we didn't know. We are going to the elections, now this government needs to be changed. We do not have insurance, we do not have health insurance on the way to May 1. We meet in such an environment. Workers' health insurance is a must."

 

'NO HOLIDAY FOR KURDISH WORKERS'

 

Another worker at the site, Gündüz Karataş, said: "I would spend May 1 working. The name of the Workers' Day is good, but it is not for us Kurds because there is no holiday for Kurdish workers. For this reason, May 1 does not mean anything to me. The worker can't even bring the children to school to feed them. My child has to share his feed with his friend.”

 

Adem Beyaz, who works at Emintaş 3 Topçular Industrial Estate in Eyüpsultan district, said: "I came to Istanbul from Agirî 2 years ago. We could not make a living even though my wife was also working. I was working in the recycling business in Ağrı. We came here because we couldn't make a living. But here our situation got worse. We can go back to our hometown due to livelihood problems. Sometimes I work 24 hours. But the money we get has no value. May 1 is Labor Day, but we cannot go to the field because we have to work. If we go to Labor Day, they will cut it from our daily wages. There are many people who listen to our problem, but there is no one who understands.”

 

Beyaz said that his last expectation is to find a solution to the workers' problem after the May 14 elections.