Polish workers who have been on strike for 6 months have reached an agreement with the employer.

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146 workers who were dismissed for being members of the union signed an agreement after reaching a compromise under the coordination of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan stated, "We wanted to share with the public the good news that a mutual agreement has been reached between our workers and the employer at this point we have reached today."

146 workers who were dismissed from the Polonez Sucuk Factory for being members of the union protested the situation for about 170 days with various actions. The Ministry of Labor and Social Security, which intervened in the process, held meetings with both the workers and the employer. A consensus was reached under the coordination of the ministry during the meetings. Under the auspices of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, Mustafa Türkel, the General President of Tekgıda-İş, affiliated with TÜRK-İş Confederation, and Mehmet Yılmaz, the General Manager of Polonez Enterprises, signed a joint agreement.

"AS A MINISTRY, WE HAVE SAT DOWN AT THE TABLE WITH BOTH THE WORKER SIDE AND THE EMPLOYER SIDE MULTIPLE TIMES"

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan expressed that they have passed an important stage regarding the protests at the Polonez facility. Işıkhan thanked the workers and the company management for their positive stance in the struggle for rights, stating, "Throughout these protests that have lasted for about 6 months, as a ministry, we have sat down at the table with both the worker side and the employer side multiple times from the very beginning of the process. Our deputy minister, general director, and relevant bureaucrats, including myself, have held numerous meetings with both the worker and employer sides, and we never broke off our contacts," he explained.

"POLITICAL CIRCLES TRIED TO TURN THE ISSUE INTO A POLITICAL PROFIT MATERIAL"

Minister Işıkhan stated that they approached the situation with a solution-oriented mindset throughout the process, saying, "While we were approaching the issue with a solution-oriented mindset, unfortunately, some political circles tried to exploit this issue and turn it into a political profit material. We have always shown that we are in favor of solutions, carefully addressing the issue without allowing this political show, and adopting a solution-oriented approach," he expressed.

"A MUTUAL AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED BETWEEN THE WORKER AND THE EMPLOYER"

Expressing that the worker and employer sides have found common ground as a result of the negotiations, Işıkhan stated, "We wanted to share with the public the good news that a mutual agreement has been reached between our workers and the employer at this point we have reached today. This agreement has been established within a framework that particularly secures the rights of our workers. I would like to express that all rights of our workers regarding severance pay, notice pay, and the periods spent in debt will be covered by the employer. We believe that Turkey is a growing and strengthening country with its workers, producers, and employers. The foundation of this country is unity, solidarity, and cooperation," he said.

Minister Işıkhan emphasized that the ministry is always on the side of both the worker and the employer for the peace and harmony of labor and work, stating that they continue to work with all stakeholders, showcasing an example of social dialogue worthy of the century of Turkey under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

"IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR US TO ACHIEVE ALL THAT WE WANTED. COMPROMISE IS A BIT LIKE THIS"

Mustafa Türkel, the General President of Tekgıda-İş, stated, "We came together with our employer under the coordination of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. When the parties come together through dialogue, we faced a situation that shows how possible it is to achieve results. It was very important to create this. Of course, as a union, I want to say one more thing representing the workers. It was not possible for us to achieve all that we wanted. Compromise is a bit like this. It is important for the parties to find a point where they can shake hands on minimum common grounds," he said.

"I HOPE THIS COMPROMISE HAS BEEN BENEFICIAL FOR ALL OF US"

Mehmet Yılmaz, the General Manager of Polonez Enterprises, stated, "The happiness of our employees is very important to us. Therefore, I hope this compromise has been beneficial for all of us. I thank everyone for their understanding, support, and effort. I also thank Mr. Mehmet Koçak for his contributions during this process. He has helped all of us in the progress of the process. I thank everyone very much," he evaluated.

The meeting ended with the signing of the joint agreement by both the worker and employer sides.