Workers to return to hospital jobs after winning labor struggle

ISTANBUL

Eleven people who were fired from a subcontractor overseeing canteen services at Istanbul’s Cerrahpaşa Hospital will be returning to work on Feb. 4 after a 22-day sit-in in the hospital’s garden.
 
The workers, who are affiliated with Dev Sağlık-İş of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK), spent more than three weeks camped out in the garden of the hospital. The laborers had received a large degree of support from local park forums, fellow workers, unions and relatives of patients during Thursday afternoon boycotts of the hospital’s canteen.
 
Those fired had complained about poor pay at the hospital, which is affiliated with Istanbul University.
 
DİSK will hold a ceremony on Feb. 4 to take down the tents following the labor victory.