Labor Party (EMEP) and United Textile Weaving and Leather Workers Union (BİRTEK-SEN) announced that Ahmet Direk Turan Haskiro, the 11-year-old son of refugee Sefa Haskiro, who worked in a textile workshop in Kocavezir District of Adana's central Seyhan district, died yesterday by getting stuck in the elevator. EMEP and BİRTEK-SEN made a press statement about Haskiro's dead. In the statement made on the street where the incident took place, a banner was unfurled saying, "Stop worker murders! No child labor, let those responsible be tried!" 

 

'THE STATE HAS NO INSPECTION'

 

Making a statement together with the party members, EMEP Adana Provincial Chair Suat Nacar stated that Haskiro worked in the workshop in question. Stating that the elevator of the workplace where the incident took place was broken and that there was no inspection at the workplace, Nacar said: "This murder has shown that no precautions are being taken for the lives of the workers. The elevator, which carried both loads and people in a business center where 200-300 people worked, and had no maintenance, was broken for a long time, which led to this murder. The elevator, which was operated without regard for the lives of workers, cost the life of one worker. In Dağ Tekstil İş Hanı, which consists of textile workshops on 6 floors, 40 to 60 workers work on each floor. Most uninsured workers have no job security. There are dozens of underground workshops in this region, the majority of which are refugee workers. Labor inspectors and the state have no control. "There are no decent wages, no insurance and no decent working conditions."

 

'OWNERS BENEFIT FROM İŞKUR'

 

Stating that the owners of these workshops are supported by Employment Agency (İŞKUR), Nacar said: "Moreover, the owners of these workshops benefit from İŞKUR supports. At the Dağ Tekstil Office Building, where the workplace murder took place, there is a sign stating that workers are employed within the scope of the 'Employment Support Project for Syrians and Turkish Citizens under Temporary Protection'. There are many child workers who should be in school, but have to leave school and work in workshops to make ends meet. Child workers working here are paid half the minimum wage. Today is World Day Against Child Labour. However, a Syrian child worker lost his life yesterday because he had to work and no precautions were taken. This is an occupational murder. This murder occurred as a result of the bosses making the workers work like slaves in order to earn more and the necessary precautions not being taken."

 

A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT WAS FILED

 

"Let's oppose exploitation, cheap labor, unregulated and unsafe working conditions, and this order in which we are dragged to death due to measures not taken" Nacar said and stated that they will follow the process and filed a criminal complaint regarding the issue.

 

'WE HAVE FILED A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT'

 

BİRTEK-SEN Adana Representative, Lawyer Tugay Bek, stated that it is unacceptable for children to have to work and said: "This is the most obvious evidence of the bosses' order that wants more brutal exploitation."

 

Stating that the authorities will make big statements about luxury salons today, as it is the World Day Against Child Labour, Bek said, "But unfortunately, these workers and children continue to lose their lives. They are exploited here at young ages and children. Look, we are making a press statement here today. The police are here, the state is here. But where were the state and Ministry of Labor officials when children were exploited in these workshops? We filed a criminal complaint with the prosecutor's office yesterday. You also saw it in the press. Employers want to obscure and cover up the occupational murder here." 

 

'SCENARIO WAS DRAWN: THE CHILD WAS PLAYING A GAME'

 

Pointing out that they tried to create the impression that the child went to the workshop with his mother, who worked there, and died while playing, Bek continued: "Declarations were made to the prosecutor's office. The bosses created a scenario such as this murder was carried out by putting pressure on the workers in the workshop and the family of the dead child.  However, we also met with the workers working in the workshop yesterday. Ahmet, our Syrian child worker brother who lost his life, had been working here as a middleman with his mother for a long time. It is operated illegally. Even though everyone knows that he works here, everybody turn a blind eye. A scenario is made up that the child came to visit his mother. We will not turn a blind eye to the efforts of the bosses, who use the power of money, to cover up their own situation and crime by putting children and other workers at work under pressure. We will follow up on this murder."