A NEW campaign was launched in Turkey today as female workers at the Flormar cosmetics factory in Koaceli entered their 200th day of resistance.

Socialist Regeneration Party (SKYP) members were joined by People’s Democratic Party (HDP) MP Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu and local Labour Party of Turkey (EMEP) chairwoman Arzu Erkan in front of the factory gates under the slogan: “Flormar workers will not spend this winter alone.”

Workers, mostly female, have picketed the Flormar factory daily since May 15 in protest at the sacking of 132 staff for joining the Petrol-Is trade union.

They set up tents to keep themselves warm in the winter months, but the authorities ordered they be taken down and banned the pickets from lighting stoves.

Flormar is Turkey’s number-one make-up brand. It has a 21 per cent market share and global sales worth about £77 million per year.

French cosmetic giant Yves Rocher bought a 51 per cent stake in Flormar in 2012 in a deal worth an estimated $150 million (£116m).

Ekmek ve Gul (Bread and Roses group) supporters brought letters from Antalya and Denizli with the message: “Long live women’s solidarity.”

Fulya Alikoc told the Star: “Since its beginning, the importance of Flormar workers’ strike was not limited to their fight for the recognition of their right to organise in a labour union. These women’s determination, more than 200 days now, is inspiring and giving hope to hundreds of thousands of women who are pushed to work in the very marginal informal industries.

“The longer a strike lasts, the greater solidarity it needs. The bosses who deny their rights know that, the government who didn’t move its finger to protect the workers’ rights knows that.

“But also the supporters, socialists, unionists, women’s organisations: we know this fact better than them. So we will strengthen and expand solidarity as the winter is coming.”