Freight Train Flights to Iran Continue at Full Speed: 'TCDD Says' Come to Work', Not 'Stay Home'

Tonguç Özkan, Head of Adana Branch of United Transportation Union: While everyone is pressing 'Stay at home' all over the world, TCDD management is pressing 'Go to work' so that the freight services will not be interrupted.

On the one hand, while the government calls for “stay at home”, TCDD, which carries a full speed load to Iran, where the number of people who lost their lives due to coronavirus is close to 3 thousand, continues to work. “The TCDD management is pressing 'Go to work' so that everybody is printing 'Stay at home' all over the world, '' Tonguç Özkan, Adana Branch President of the United Transportation Union (BTS), asked to stop international and non-compulsory transportation in the country.

Expressing that 6 freight trains run every day in the 34th region, including Adana, Özkan stated that 4 trains go to Iran every day. Expressing that various loads are carried, 50 percent of which is iron, Özkan said, “There is an intense international transportation with Iran since the last 15 days. Even though all border gates are closed, freight transportation is carried out between Iran and Mersin. ”

“PASSENGTH OF PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION IS NOT ENOUGH”

According to Özkan transfer wagons returning from border machinist it takes over in Turkey. Logistics personnel other than machinists, on-train personnel have to contact the wagons coming from Iran. The machinists come into contact with the documents, and two machinists in a locomotive travel for hours in the same environment. Moreover, Özkan stated that the continuing of freight transport despite the cessation of passenger transportation means that half of the workers and officers working in TCDD come to work. . Only the conductors are not working. ”

Özkan stated that it would not be possible to prevent the epidemic with masks and disinfectants. If there is a need or need, this should be done by other methods or by taking special measures. The presence of transportation causes the factories to work as well. "The life of the workers should not be compromised for the profit of a few people," he said.

Özkan stated that there are a large number of personnel coming from neighboring provinces and districts such as Mersin, Tarsus, Ceyhan and Osmaniye and said, “There is a travel ban. But they have to come to work, Seizure is being written. Ceyhan, Osmaniye has to come to work. There is no solution to this. Many issues are treated carelessly. An over-condemnation and warning penalty will be given. Disputed staff. "We can't postpone it," they say. " (Volkan PEKAL /Universal)