Türkiye
EPSU joins protests against prison sentences for doctors and human rights defenders in Turkey
We join the European and global medical and human rights communities in condemning the prison sentences against Turkish doctors and academics for speaking out for peace and the suffering caused by wars.
New study reveals challenge facing public service unions
The FES trade union-linked research institute has published a new study on the recent developments in Turkish trade unions. It looks at membership in the six confederations, the legal framework and the attack on the right to strike. Civil service unions face a ban on both collective bargaining and the right to strike. The report includes information on union density and the organising of sub-contracted workers where there have been membership gains.
Unions protest over dismissals and minimum wage
On 3 October unions in the DISK and KESK confederations organised a half-day work stoppage in the city of Izmir in western Turkey. The strike called for the reinstatement of workers who have been arbitrarily dismissed by the government in its continuing indiscriminate actions following the attempted coup in 2016. The unions also called for an increase in the minimum wage and for municipal workers to be treated the same as civil servants in relation to the government's recent legislation to end outsourcing.
Unions demand respect for trade union rights as EU meets Turkey in Varna
(Following the social media action and letters of protest, the unionists have been released) European and global unions raised the state of trade union rights in Turkey with the European Commission and Council ahead of their EU-Turkey summit 26 March in Varna, Bulgaria.
Survey reveals realities of workers' pay and working conditions
A survey commissioned by the DISK trade union confederation reveals the low pay and long working hours faced by many workers across Turkey. Some 54% of all workers say they are “struggling to make ends meet,” while 71% of workers without any social coverage say the same. In contrast, only 19% of trade union members say they are “struggling to make ends meet.” However, union density is only at 13%. Twenty-four percent of all workers say they do not take any annual leave, rising to 48% among uninsured workers.The study also revealed that 44% of workers believe their health and safety conditions
Government decree ends outsourcing
The government has passed a decree that effectively ends outsourcing in central and local government. Outsourced workers in central government will be directly employed by the central government institutions while those in local authorities will be transferred to local authority-owned companies, rather than directly to the local authorities. The changes have been welcomed by trade unions although some have expressed concern about the difference in rights and pay and conditions for those in local authority companies and about the fact that the changes were implemented by decree with no