Petrol-İş strike enters second day as Kolozali vows “Our struggle will continue”

Petrol-İş began an indefinite strike yesterday, citing the employer’s refusal to withdraw suspension notices concerning nine staff members. Semih Kolozali, head of the Revolutionary Workers’ Unions Federation (Dev-İş), to which the Turkish Cypriot Petroleum Workers’ Union is affiliated, said the struggle would continue until results were achieved and the facility would carry out no activity.

Speaking to the Turkish Agency for Cyprus (TAK), Kolozali said the strike began yesterday and that the union held consultations throughout the day. He alleged that a representative appointed to the company’s board by the İnkişaf Sandığı, which falls under the Finance Ministry, was recorded as voting unanimously in meeting minutes even though no meeting invitation had been issued. He said the Finance Ministry had notified the board on the matter, and the Labour and Social Security Ministry had indicated that the stop-work notices would not be implemented.

Kolozali also criticised some statements by Economy and Energy Minister Hasan Taçoy and said all board decisions are subject to approval by the relevant ministry. “We are stating very clearly: This institution is profitable,” he said, adding that there was no loss and the institution needed staff. He said no one would turn a blind eye to nine people being left jobless without negotiation with workers.