HAK-IS President Mahmut Arslan stands by Altındağ Municipality Resistance

Ankara - On August 2, 2025, HAK-İŞ Confederation President Mahmut Arslan came together in solidarity with the workers unjustly dismissed by Altındağ Municipality and their precious families. This meaningful meeting, which took place at Hizmet-İş Union's Emek Kır Bahçesi Social Facility, once again revealed the hopeful face of the 141-day-long resistance and reinforced the unwavering determination of the union struggle.

In addition to General President Mahmut Arslan, Hizmet-İş Union Vice President Celal Yıldız, General Secretary Av. Oğuz Aksoy, Deputy General Secretary Av. Mehmet Yeşilyurt, Ankara No. 2 Branch President Recep Dere, General Supervisory Board Member Gaye Polat, Ankara No. 2 Branch Vice Presidents and committee chairs also attended the meeting and conveyed their strong support to the workers. The workers and their families, who were unjustly dismissed by the Altındağ Municipality, had the opportunity to once again demonstrate their victimization and their determined resistance in this critical meeting.

Mahmut Arslan: "We will continue the struggle with determination, we will not give in to slander!"

In his emotional speech at the meeting, President Mahmut Arslan emphasized the key role of the honorable stance of the unjustly dismissed workers and their unwavering loyalty to Hizmet-İş Union, of which they are members, in the continuity of the Altındağ resistance. "As long as our members walk shoulder to shoulder with us, we will continue this just struggle with the same determination as on the first day, until the end," Arslan said.

Sharing that their union is going through a difficult and exhausting process, Mr. Arslan said, "We are going through a difficult process in which we have become the target of slander and lies. The main purpose of this process is to wear us down and discourage us from our union activities. However, we never succumb to such games, on the contrary, we resist by getting stronger." Referring to the unwanted police intervention during the Altındağ resistance last week, Arslan said that they will make all necessary official applications to identify those responsible for this intervention. Mr. Arslan stated that they will meet with all relevant authorities, especially the Minister of Interior and Deputy Minister, and make it clear that what happened is unacceptable and that they are only exercising their constitutional rights as a union. At the end of his speech, he once again emphasized their determination by saying, "Despite all these events, we will never give up the honorable and legitimate struggle of labor."

"Reinstatement Cases Progressing Promisingly"

Stating that they are closely following the legal processes of the dismissed workers and that the reinstatement cases are progressing in the desired direction, President Mahmut Arslan emphasized the importance of the meticulousness in this process. Arslan said, "I would like to inform the public that the entire legal process is being carried out with utmost transparency and meticulousness in a manner befitting the principles and values of HAK-İŞ and Hizmet-İş. We will fight for the rights of our members until the end and we are ready to pay any price that this struggle requires."

"We will never turn back from this path, we will succeed together!"

Mahmut Arslan emphasized once again that they have never and will never step back from the honorable path they have embarked on together with their members. "Even though unlawful interventions against our action areas continue, we are determined to continue our struggle without giving up. We will continue this process by developing new ways and methods," Arslan said and gave a clear message to the dismissed workers of Altındağ Municipality: "No matter what anyone says; we will not give up this just struggle until our members return to their jobs. Whatever we said when we set out on this journey, we stand behind all our promises and promises today."

Arslan stated that the current difficulties are uniting them even more instead of discouraging them, "We are going through a period full of difficulties, but this process is uniting us even more instead of discouraging us. By growing our solidarity, in unity and solidarity, we will succeed together."

Special entertainment was organized for the children of the dismissed workers during the event. The joy on the faces of the children was a great source of morale for their families and reflected the hopeful and strong face of the 141-day-long Altındağ resistance. President Mahmut Arslan took a close interest in the children attending the event, gave them various gifts and instilled morale in the children who are the future of the resistance. This meeting was a concrete indicator of union solidarity and the just struggle of labor.