Strike Begins in Balıkesir Gesbey: Employer's Fear of Strike Made an Imam Come to the Factory

BALIKESİR - A strike has officially begun at the Gesbey Wind Turbine Factory in the Gönen district of Balıkesir, in line with the decision taken by the United Metal-İş Union due to disagreement in the organizing and collective bargaining process. While a strike banner was hung in the factory yesterday morning, the union claimed that the employer had resorted to the unusual method of having an imam perform Friday prayers in the factory in order to prevent participation in the strike.

The organizing process initiated by Birleşik Metal-İş in 2024 at Gesbey, a joint venture between Beyçelik Holding and Spanish GRI, was marked by union hostility, pressure and dismissals. Despite the objections of the employer, the CBA process was blocked and the strike stage was reached after the employer did not sit at the table despite the conclusion of the authorization case in favor of the union.

Factory Imam Allegedly Arrives for Friday Prayer

When United Metal-İş announced that it would go on strike on Friday, October 24, the employer took various "measures" to prevent workers from participating in the strike. The most striking of these measures took place in the morning when the strike banner was to be hung. Workers preparing to go to Friday prayers saw that workplace management had called an imam to the factory.

The employer allegedly arranged for the prayers to be held inside the factory, fearing that workers would join the strike if they went outside. Union sources said that the Mufti's Office of Guven supported this initiative, while the workers reacted by saying, "They even used Friday prayers for the fear of a strike."

Syndicate: "This banner will not come down until we take it down"

Birleşik Metal-İş announced that it will continue the strike at Gesbey with determination despite all the efforts of the employer to prevent it. In the message sent by the union to the workers, the union emphasized its commitment to organized struggle with the following words:

"Despite all the difficulties, we started our strike in Gesbey. Our strike banner will not come down from this factory until we take it down. Gesbey workers have one union and one address. With our hope, solidarity and determination, we will emerge from this struggle stronger."

Workers at the factory said they were told that the Diyanet had sent an imam to the factory only once. Attempts by Evrensel newspaper to contact the Gönen Mufti's Office about the issue went unanswered.

Source: universal.net