Migros warehouse workers detained during ongoing strike against low pay raise

More than 150 workers of a Migros grocery warehouse were temporarily detained on Feb. 8 as they were staging a sit-in at the warehouse demanding a raise in their wages. Some 120 of the workers received messages from the company telling them they were fired.

Duvar English 

More than 150 workers of Turkey's leading supermarket chain Migros were detained on Feb. 8 during their ongoing strike against poor working conditions and low wages. 

On Feb. 3, a group of workers at the Migros warehouse in Istanbul's Esenyurt district launched a protest after they were offered a mere 8 percent pay rise by the company. The workers have been since going on with their strike at the warehouse. 

Warehouse, Port, Shipyard and Marine Workers (DGD-SEN) Union shared the moments when the workers were detained on Twitter. As police buses came to the warehouse, the workers chanted "We will win by resisting."

DGD-SEN announced on Twitter that DGD-SEN Head Neslihan Acar was also detained.

The detained workers were later released on Feb. 8 evening. 

Meanwhile, Migros sent SMS messages to more than 120 workers, terminating their labor contracts over accusations of "violating the labor law." 

Turkey on Feb. 3 reported an annual inflation rate of 48.69 percent in January, the highest in two decades, whereas the independent inflation group ENAG put the figure at 114.87 percent.

Inflation has been particularly acutely felt in housing prices, food, and utilities.