Members of the Confederation of Public Laborer's Unions (KESK) and unions affiliated to it are on strike today under the slogan: "We do not accept the sales contract! We want our rights from the budget!".

Public sector workers answering to KESK's call for a strike have assembled in Istanbul at Çapa and Sirkeci. The protesters carried empty shoe boxes, in reference to the shoe boxes full of dollars discovered during the corruption operations.  

The strikers at Çapa were joined by many groups, including ÖDP, HDK/HDP, Kocamustafa Solidarity, İstanbul Doctors Association, TÜMTİS and Halkevi.

KESK joined the protest with a banner bearing the words: "For free, quality, accessible equal health care in the mother tongue. No to hospitals becoming enterprises, patients customers and employees slaves." The HDK/HDP banner said: "No to a budget for war and unearned income. Accept the demands of the workers." Education Solidarity carried a banner saying: "We will not submit to the King".

Hundreds of workers gathered at Sirkeci. Workers coming by ferry from the Anatolian side marched to the Sirkeci train station chanting slogans: "Budget for the workers, not for thieves" and "Humane life, democratic Turkey." The workers took part in folk dancing, carried empty shoe boxes or shoe boxes with dollar signs stuck on them to signify the boxes full of dollars found during the operation. Some of the boxes were set alight.

The workers underlined that "If opposing war, and demanding free education and free health care is treason, then we as public sector workers will continue to commit treason."

At 11.30 the slogan "Oppose fascism side by side" was chanted for one minute.

In speeches it was recalled that it was the anniversaries of the Prison massacre of 19 December, the Marash massacre and the throwing of the 6th Fleet into the sea.

The slogan: "There is no individual liberation, it's either all of us together, or none of us", was chanted. The workers are preparing for their protest march.

Thousands of members of KESK and unions affiliated to it have taken to the streets through the country today as part of the strike.