Working Conditions of Street Workers are Improved in İzmir

Working conditions of street workers are being improved in İzmir. The chestnut, corn and flower sellers, united under the roof of a cooperative, started selling at the designated points after the hygiene and marketing training. Sellers inspected by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality are satisfied with the project.

The project, which was initiated by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality to improve the working conditions of street workers and raise the service standard, bore fruit. Chestnut, corn and flower sellers, united under the roof of a cooperative, started selling at the designated points after the hygiene and marketing training at the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Vocational Factory.

Sales points were determined in a way that would not make the tradesmen suffer.

The project is carried out by a commission that includes representatives from the relevant departments of the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and the professional associations of peddlers. The commission determined the sales points for the peddlers in the occupied areas where the Metropolitan Municipality is responsible, in a way that would not make the tradesmen suffer. Sellers who sign the service standard contract prepared by the commission will also pay the occupation fee.

Vendors inspected

Gökhan Daca, Head of the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Police Department, emphasized the importance of regulation in this period when it was difficult to earn a living due to the economic crisis, and said, “This study was carried out for the temporary discipline of socio-economic activities at the occupation points. The products sold by these 153 people are also inspected for compliance with food standards. Again, the compliance of sales and marketing with the regulation is checked. The activities of those who violate the regulation will be terminated by the commission. With this work, citizens were provided with a peaceful and more enjoyable work.”

“We earn our bread without running away”

The peddlers who started selling are satisfied with the application. Ferhan Alp, who sells chestnuts across the Alsancak Ferry Terminal, said, “We earn our living on the street. The application has been very good for us. We used to run away when we saw the police teams before. We no longer run. We earn our bread without running away. We work comfortably,” he said.

“We spent our lives running away from the police”

Expressing that chestnut seller is a family profession and he has been doing this business for 25 years, Mehmet Acar said that the work initiated by the Metropolitan Municipality gives them hope. Minister Tunç SoyerThanking Acar, “We are people who work for our bread without saying rain or mud. There was turmoil before. Our lives were spent running away from the police. We were constantly nervous. Now we leave our house happy, kissing our children. Those worries are over,” he said.

“Thank you to our president”

Mehmet Akbulut is also one of those who make a living by selling chestnuts. Emphasizing that the work makes them very happy, Akbulut said, “Now we want to serve our people without escaping from our municipality and without shame. We are here, always have been and will be. I have two daughters. They came to me while I was working. At that time, when the police came, I was running and my children were crying. I was too embarrassed then. I am not a thief. I don't steal anything, I struggle for my bread. This is my rhythm. It's an inherited profession. Now that we have received our documents, we are very happy. Thank you very much to our president. It has a place in our heads,” he said.

“I am very happy with the opportunities offered by the municipality”

Nergiz Demir, who makes her living by selling flowers, said, “I have been doing floristry since I was 15 years old. I have two daughters, I raised them both with the money I earn from here. We live off this job, which is our livelihood. We are very happy with the project our municipality has done and the opportunities it offers us. I happily buy my flowers from the auction and make a bouquet here. Because flowers are my bread,” he said.