Evrensel: Call for solidarity with striking textile workers in the Levi's supply chain, etc

https://www.evrensel.net/daily/504566/international-call-for-solidarity-with-textile-worker-in-urfa-sacked-for-changing-union  [With more links]

International call for solidarity with textile worker in Urfa, sacked for changing union

A call for international solidarity was made to raise awareness and support for the Özak Tekstil workers' struggle for fair labour practices and the reinstatement of the dismissed worker.

Workers at the Özak textile factory in Urfa, a southeastern city of Turkey, have launched a protest and strike after a woman worker was dismissed for changing her trade union. Allegedly collaborating with the employer, the workers resigned from the Öz İplik-İş union and joined the Unified Textile, Weaving, and Leather Workers Union (BİRTEK-SEN [ www.birteksen.org/ ?]) in order to organise and demand the reinstatement of their dismissed colleague.

Labour Party (EMEP) MP Sevda Karaca, visited the ongoing protest at the Özak textile factory in the Urfa Organised Industrial Zone (OSB). During her visit, Karaca not only expressed her support for the striking workers, but also called for international solidarity with their cause.

The case of the sacked worker has attracted local and international attention, with the Clean Clothes Campaign highlighting the situation [ cleanclothes.org/ ?  Note that if this is the correct website, the organization accuses China of producing cotton products with forced Uighur/Uyghur labor and committing genocide, torture, etc., against them, with the greatest "detention of an ethno-religious group since World War II" – Were the reports on the BBC, etc real and correctly describing the situation in Xinjiang, or did this come up as part of the campaign to maintain US world hegemony, by smearing China and fearmongering whenever possible, encouraging the breakup of the country, economic warfare, military pressure, etc?  Are these even current charges?].  The Özak Textile factory where the workers are on strike is involved in the production of internationally recognised brands such as Levi's. The campaign emphasised the importance of workers being free to choose their representatives and condemned the dismissal of the worker for joining another union. 

The BIRTEK-SEN union also took to social media to voice its concerns and direct its message to Levi's. The union accused Levi's of remaining silent in the face of labour rights violations, highlighting that 450 workers at Özak Textile have suffered such violations and have been dismissed for choosing union representation. The union called on Levi's to take action and stand up for workers' rights.

The international campaign, aims to raise awareness and garner support for the Özak Textile workers in their struggle for fair labour practices and the reinstatement of the dismissed worker. (EVRENSEL DAILY)"