Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Controversially Lays Off 12 Workers
In a shocking turn of events just days before the new year, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay has made a move that is causing quite a stir. After being elected as mayor in the local elections on March 31, Tugay wasted no time in laying off a significant number of workers. However, his latest decision to terminate the contracts of 12 municipal employees has sparked outrage and raised eyebrows across the community.
Mayor’s Controversial Actions
Upon assuming office, Mayor Tugay swiftly took action by dismissing around 200 workers from various departments within the municipality. One of the reasons cited for these dismissals was the timing of their hiring, just before the election. This move caused immediate backlash from the organized labor unions within the municipality, with the affected workers staging a sit-in protest outside the Egemenlik Evi in the Kemeraltı Bazaar where Mayor Tugay’s office is located.
Workers’ Response and Follow-up Actions
Unsatisfied with the initial outcome, the workers continued their protests by following Mayor Tugay wherever he went and staging demonstrations. Under mounting pressure, Mayor Tugay eventually relented and rehired the dismissed workers across various municipal departments. Just when it seemed like the situation had calmed down, Mayor Tugay made another controversial decision.
New Wave of Layoffs
In a surprising move, Mayor Tugay ordered the closure of the Kent Council Branch Office, established during the previous administration under Mayor Tunç Soyer. Subsequently, the contracts of 12 employees working in that office were terminated. The workers were informed of their dismissals via SMS messages sent to their mobile phones.
The message read, “Your termination of employment under the indefinite contract without justified reason within the scope of 4-A insurance coverage has been notified by the employer as of the date of departure on 06.12.2024.” The employees were left in shock upon receiving these messages, further adding to the turmoil caused by Mayor Tugay’s decisions.
This chain of events has left the community in a state of uncertainty and has raised questions about the mayor’s leadership style and decision-making process. The repercussions of these actions are likely to be felt for a long time to come.
