Workers of Turkey's leading cooking oil company go on strike for living wages

Cihan Başakçıoğlu / Gazete Duvar

The collective bargaining negotiations between the Tek Gıda İş Union and the management of Kristal Yağ, a factory under Arkas Holding located in İzmir's Bornova district, began on February 13. After four months of unsuccessful negotiations, the workers went on strike on June 11. The workers, who had been picketing outside the factory for 39 days, continued resisting to claim their rights from the company management.

In a statement about the strike, the Tek Gıda İş Union said the company management treated the workers as if they had committed a crime, "During the 30-day strike, we encountered a management that treated Kristal Yağ workers on a legal strike as if they had committed a crime or made a mistake and were expected to correct it. The management ordered no water be given to striking workers and locked the factory gates, thinking the workers might cause trouble, showing how distant they are from their workers."

The number of workers on strike at the factory reached 90. Cenap Çelik, a worker at Kristal Yağ for 18 years, said, "We entered the collective bargaining process, and they started offering wages below the minimum wage. The employer said we had to accept a below-minimum wage. I have been working there for 18 years, but we have struggled financially for the last four years. We did not accept this offer." 

He also noted that some workers faced mobbing and were pressured to quit, emphasizing that they would continue their actions until they obtained their rights. Çelik added, "The company has been among the export leaders for the past ten years. They have risen in international rankings. But they are still imposing an unlivable wage on the workers. We will continue the strike until we get our rights."

According to a 24 May report by the Ekonomim online news outlet, Kristal Yağ was Turkey's leading exporter of packaged and branded olive oil. 

Faruk Sabır, a striking worker of five years, emphasized that their demand was a livable wage. "I have three children, all in school. We are not after the factory's profit. We want a wage that can support our family and allow us to live decently. The employer is offering the same wage they proposed in January. There is no new offer; they came with the same one.”

He continued, “We are not valued as human beings. There is no turning back now. We want what is rightfully ours," he said.

Rıza Sipahi, a worker at the factory for 13 years, said, "The collective bargaining processes have ended badly for the last four years. It has become unbearable recently. We went on strike with our union."

Reiterating similar demands, Sipahi added, "They offered a 1.5 percent increase over the minimum wage. Some people pay rent. There are those with families. We used to work peacefully, but the sanctions from Arkas Holding turned into pressure. Mobbing occurred. Security cameras were installed. They monitored our smallest movements and gave warnings like 'Don't put your hand there,' 'Wear your mask.' Our most important demand is a salary, but we also want the pressure and mobbing to end. We call on everyone to stand with the workers and laborers."

(English version by Ayşenaz Toptaş)