08.12.2025 17:26
Approximately 2,000 workers employed by the Buca Municipality in İzmir have initiated a strike due to unpaid wages and discrepancies in the collective labor agreement. Değer Yıldız, the President of DİSK General-İş İzmir Branch No. 6, stated, "We are not the reason for the garbage mountains that have formed in this city. Despite us keeping our promise, the Mayor has once again failed to keep his word and has left us in the lurch. Tomorrow, the garbage will pile up in this city, and the direct responsible party is Buca Mayor Görkem Duman."
The DİSK Genel-İş İzmir 6 No'lu Branch, organized at Buca Municipality, decided to go on strike, stating that despite the signed commitment with Buca Mayor Görkem Duman, the October salary and the retroactive Collective Labor Agreement (TİS) differences should have been paid by November 30, but no payment was made despite the 5-day option given.
CLEANING STAFF WENT ON STRIKE With the decision taken by the union, approximately 2,000 workers, excluding the cleaning department, kindergartens, and cafeteria staff, went on strike after clocking in in the morning. The workers gathered in front of the Buca Municipality building to hold a press statement.
"THE CAUSE OF THE MOUNTAINS OF TRASH IS NOT US, BUT THE MAYOR" DİSK Genel-İş İzmir 6 No'lu Branch President Değer Yıldız, speaking on behalf of the union, stated, "The additional payment we were supposed to receive for October in November should have been paid by November 30, but it was not. There was a 5-day option period, we waited until December 5, but again no payment was made. Therefore, out of respect for the signature we put on the protocol and the good faith promise we made, we have initiated a work stoppage at our workplace today. We are not the cause of the mountains of trash in this city. We had ended the action based on the last promise given by the Mayor, but despite keeping our word, the Mayor has again failed to keep his promise and has left us in the lurch. Tomorrow, trash will accumulate in this city, kindergartens will close, cafeterias will close, and all other units will come to a standstill. The direct responsible party is Buca Mayor Görkem Duman.
"IF THERE WAS NO BUDGET IN THE MUNICIPALITY, WHY WERE SO MANY WORKERS HIRED?" Yıldız conveyed that they have neither the situation nor the morale to manage anyone, stating, "We are people who work for a month and receive a salary around 50,000 lira, paying about 30,000 lira in rent and trying to survive on the remaining 20,000 lira. In a few days or a month, when people pour gasoline on themselves and set themselves on fire in this square, do not ask us what happened. If the people working in this municipality cannot receive their salaries at the end of the month after working 30 days, no one should take offense. The municipal administration must explain how many workers it has hired since it took office and why these workers were hired. If there was no budget, no money, and the municipality was in debt; why were so many workers hired? Why were these people deceived, why were they condemned to hunger and poverty? Those who hire workers complain about not being able to employ them; it is no longer acceptable to say that other workers are not working while a handful of workers do all the work in this city," he expressed.
"ALL OF OUR SALARY GOES TO INTEREST AND SEIZURE" In the press statement, Yıldız also addressed the citizens of Buca, saying, "The employer should not make excuses like 'workers are not working, there are too many workers.' We have long surpassed these stories. The people of Buca should know that we no longer have the strength to endure. If things go off the rails at some point and workers cannot receive their dues, there will be no unionists to stop those workers either. Then who will hold whom accountable, the squares will show this. We want our dues. All of our salary goes to interest, seizure, and loan sharks; there is no bread in people's homes, water has been cut off, landlords are at the door; people can no longer look their spouses and children in the face. No one should expect us to manage them anymore. From this point on, we are not managing anyone, and everyone who will engage with us should come knowing this. It does not work to shout slogans about rights and law in fancy chairs in suits; they should come and see the condition of the worker and the suffering they endure," he said.
"WE WILL GO ON STRIKE IN THE CLEANING DEPARTMENT" Worker Abdullah Durmaz, who has been working in the Buca Municipality Cleaning Department for 17 years, stated, "We have been experiencing issues with our payments for the last 6 months; sometimes we receive low or partial salaries. About 2 months ago, we held a protest due to the overdue payments. We want the signed commitments to be honored and our salaries to be paid. Therefore, we have gone on a protest, but while seeking our rights, we do not want to adopt a destructive attitude. Considering the public, we are trying to be a more modest and managing side. If there is a good development and the process progresses healthily, we will continue our work. Otherwise, if our salaries are not paid and the deadlines are extended again, we will inform our colleagues in the cleaning department and go on strike," he said.