Page 284 - KAZOVA - ENGLISH

for the police summoned by the CHP to attack the workers. They
know this themselves. Or they can collude with the branch chair-
men to introduce confusion into the resistance. We have heard
that in the meetings referred to before between the branch chair-
men and the mayor, it was agreed to quash the court proceedings.
This is the power of resistance and the result of resistance. We

have not yet received the details of such an agreement. We have
yet to see it in the court file. But even the existence of rumours
about it shows the power of resistance. It shows how helpless the
union branch chairman is that while it does not embarrass him,
when workers are on hunger strike he goes to the mayor to engage
in bargaining.

Who are you, anyway? In whose name do you speak? Does
nothing make you feel ashamed? What did you contribute to re-

sistance? Was it not you who called on workers not to support the
resistance of workers to the mayor with whom you are talking? All
this is futile manoeuvring. The BELTAS workers will win. Sooner
or later. And this great victory will not be spoiled by the name of
the branch chair named Hikmet Aygun.

There is a price to be paid in acts of resistance. The resister
must face up to this price. Either to bow down to the injustice,
and also lose your honour, or else to resist. Your accustomed life

style corrupts while the difficulties of resistance are expected. But
what is certain is that your rights will not simply be given to you.
We have to resist, to win rights and to protect them.

Indeed, the AKP’s readiness to make legal changes to senior-
ity compensation and the sub-contracting system must be a lesson
to us. If we do not resist to protect our rights, we will lose every-

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