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Campaign Of The Week Danger, dungeons and death for Turkey’s workers

President Erdogan's regime is cracking down on workers' protests as it rushes to finish a showpiece airport. Elsewhere the economy lies in ruin, reports CEREN SAGIR

THE TURKISH  government’s complete disregard for workers’ lives is not something new. But the past few months have seen an increase in attacks on workers protesting for their basic right to a safe environment.

According to a report by the Workers’ Health and Work Safety Assembly (ISIGM), 2,006 workers in Turkey were killed in workplace incidents in 2017, of which 60 were children, 18 under the age of 15.

Although Turkey does have laws under the Labour Act of 2003 to supposedly protect adults and children in employment, as with most of the legislation in the country, it is not actually applied in practice, especially if the government doesn’t want it to be.

And should workers dare to organise by taking strike action or unionising, police forces are quick to clamp down on demonstrators at the crack of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s whip.

Since May 15, Flormar workers from the Gebze region who were unfairly dismissed from their posts for being members of the union Petrol-Is have been organising.

Workers within the resistance have said they will continue with the struggle to return to their roles as members of the union.

The 127 workers, most of which are women, are struggling financially with living costs as they fight for their rights.
Last week, 24 construction workers in Istanbul were arrested for protesting the working conditions at the construction site of the city’s new airport, a “showcase mega-project” for Erdogan’s government.

Originally hundreds were taken into custody before being released.
Police and the military gendarmes fired tear gas at the increasing number of workers protesting, who began strike action on September 14.

The workers took action due to the increasing number of deaths and injuries as result of the lack of safety measures on site and the deteriorating working conditions, as pressure mounts to complete the construction in time for its grand opening on independence day, October 29.

Solidarity with the People Of Turkey (Spot) are campaigning to bring the issues to British trade unions, MPs and campaign groups.
They have said they are calling on “all supporters of democracy and human rights” to send messages of solidarity, condemn the government’s treatment of construction workers, and to demand the release of those arrested.

Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail says: “Construction is a dangerous industry but all risks to life and health can be prevented by responsible management.

“Unite is distressed to learn that in a ‘race against time’ to complete the airport, safety standards are being swept aside. This is unacceptable, no project is worth such destruction to workers and their families.

“The Construction Workers Union has the serious responsibility of representing and defending workers against such abuses.

“Imprisonment will not silence them – nor will Unite be silenced.”
 

Cartmail added that Unite stood “shoulder to shoulder” in solidarity with the workers demanding decent pay and work.

RMT assistant general secretary Steve Hedley said the transport union was also standing in solidarity with workers suffering under the Erdogan regime.

“The economic crises and fall in currency has led to ever increasing attacks on workers’ rights by the Turkish government,” he added.
“Long live international solidarity.”

National president of bakers’ union BFAWU Ian Hodson said they condemn “in the strongest terms” the actions taken on behalf of the Erdogan government, calling for the immediate release of the airport workers.

“The BFAWU will commit to raise these dreadful events and the suffering and injustices that are happening to the workers across Turkey through our trade union links,” he added.

“We send our support, best wishes and solidarity to all those standing up and fighting for their basic rights of health and safety at work for freedom of expression and access to justice.”

TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes said: “The Turkish government must release them immediately as this is a flagrant violation of ILO conventions and humans rights.

“If they don’t, they will rightly be condemned for their repressive and undemocratic actions.”

Spot is also campaigning for international solidarity with all of the striking Flormar workers, demanding the urgent reinstatement of their roles as well as the full recognition of their rights to join the trade union of their choice.

 

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