BURSA - AHKEM Tekstil workers stated that their employer subjected them to mobbing to force them to resign in order to avoid paying their compensation. 

 

AHKEM Tekstil workers in the Yildirim district of Bursa said that they were subjected to mobbing by the owner of the workplace, Erkan Peker, and forced to resign. Pointing to the legal regulation that severance pay cannot be received in the event of resignation, the workers stated that many workers chose to resign and leave their jobs without severance pay. 

 

AHKEM Tekstil know to produce for international brands such as Zara. Speaking to the Mezopotamya Agency, employees, who did not wish to be named stated that they had worked for over a year and were entitled to severance pay, adding that they were subjected to “systematic” pressure and attemps to “wear them down.”

 

The workers stated that they were also made to do different jobs and said that they were under constant pressure of supervision and that this was done to prevent them from receiving their "severance pay rights". 

 

The workers stressed that their problems at work were not communicated to "independent units", said that they were not even allowed to drink tea during breaks. They said that this behaviour was contrary to both human and working conditions. 

 

Emphasising that practices aimed at forcing workers to resign are unlawful under labour law, the workers called for solidarity to improve conditions.

 

Tekstil officials we contacted denied the allegations, stating that workers were being dismissed with compensation due to job losses and that this was a situation specific to the textile sector.

 

 MA / Omer Ibrahimoglu