Ireland: Turkish Gama workers strike for unpaid wages

Hundreds walk-off building sites in Dublin and Galway in show of strength

In a courageous and impressive show of strength, four hundred GAMA Turkish workers staged a walkout from building sites across Dublin, yesterday. More protests are planned today, Tuesday 5 April, in Tynagh, County Galway (west Ireland).

On Monday 4 April, Turkish workers walked off their building sites across Dublin in protest at non-payment of wages which are held by the company Finansbank, in the Netherlands.

GAMA construction has hidden away possibly up 30 million euro in unpaid wages belonging to these workers. This money is just a portion of the unpaid wages owed. Most of these workers are in receipt of payment rates of 2.30 euro per hour and working up to 80 or 90 hours a week.

Foreign workers are amongst the most exploited and vulnerable, which makes the GAMA workers’ decision to take strike action all the more brave and important. Their action is a brilliant and courageous example to other super-exploited workers in Ireland and across Europe.

The workers marched through Dublin to a mass rally in Liberty Hall where they were addressed by members of the Turkish Workers’ Action Group, Erie Fleming of SIPTU (the workers’ union) and by Socialist Party TD (member of the Irish Parliament) Joe Higgins.

These workers exist in slave-like conditions. They are completely reliant on their employers for food and accommodation. They have received no wages in weeks and are quite destitute at this stage. Twelve workers " were locked out of their building site in Tynagh, County Galway, last Sunday night, and alternative places to stay have had to found in Dublin. This is an illustration of the appalling situation facing the workers and the vicious reign of fear and the intimidation by GAMA management on these sites.

The workers demand:

Show solidarity with GAMA workers. Send protests to:

Managing Director Hakan Karaalioglu

Gama Construction Ireland Ltd

Northwood Park

Santry

Dublin D9

Republic of Ireland

Fax: 00 35 31 1862 9698

Please send copies to:

Michael Martin

Minister for Enterprise

Trade and Employment

Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment

23 Kildare Street

Dublin 2

Republic of Ireland

Fax: 00 353 1 631 2815

e mail: [email protected]

Please email solidarity messages to the GAMA workers (via Joe Higgins TD) to the following address:

[email protected]

Protest pickets of Turkish embassies/consulates will take place this coming Friday, 8 April, marking an international day of solidarity and protest with GAMA workers in Ireland.

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