A public outrage started after the e-commerce giant Hepsiburada offered their couriers a mere 1 TL wage rise per parcel distributed, and the strikes which started rapidly spread to other e-commerce, cargo and food delivery services like Trendyol Express, Yurtici Kargo, Getir and Yemeksepeti Banabi throughout the last week of January.
The Trendyol couriers’ three-day strike resulted in a 38,8% rise in wages as opposed to the 11% wage rise they had been offered. The success of the Trendyol Couriers inspired delivery service workers to unionise and ask for better working conditions throughout Turkey.
Workers of the food delivery giant Yemeksepeti stopped the distribution of food and went on a strike on 1 February, citing a number of demands such as an increase in their wages, better working conditions and the right to unionise, the Yemeksepeti employers opposing against the unionisation.
Today (2 February) Yemeksepeti workers gathered outside the headquarters of the company in Istanbul to protest, while their colleagues from other cities continued protesting throughout Turkey.
Couriers of one of the largest cargo companies of Turkey, Yurtiçi Kargo, have also started a nationwide demonstration against the 17% wage rise they were offered, being far lower than the official inflation rate which is over 36%. Recently 20 workers were sacked after protesting about working conditions. The delivery workers gathered in front of the Yurtiçi Kargo headquarters in Istanbul and demanded a 40% raise in their wages, andthe reinstatement of their sacked colleagues.
The inflation rate has skyrocketed to 36.8%, the highest it has been in 19 years, especially affecting consumer prices, utilities and food.
The workers’ solidarity has gone viral and is attracting much attention on social media.
