Ei-iE

Together with representatives of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and Belgian trade union centres FGTB and CGSLB, EI held an audience with the advisor to the Turkish ambassador on 26 Feb in Brussels.

The reason for the meeting was to address the international trade union movement’s concern about the dramatic social conflict at the tobacco company TEKEL.

TEKEL was a public company sold recently to the British American Tobacco. Due to the sale and privatisation, the Turkish government announced in December 2009 that 12 factories would be closed and 10 000 employees redeployed to jobs in other public sectors on temporary contracts with pay-cuts up to 40% and reduced employment rights.

This resulted in extensive protests by the workers and the government retaliated with widespread police repression. To show their support for the TEKEL workers, a nation-wide general strike was organised on 4 Feb by the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-Is).

At the embassy, the union delegation submitted a formal request to the Turkish authorities to stop the use of violence against the striking workers. They have also raised their concern regarding the deterioration of the trade union situation in Turkey, as reported in the 2009 ITUC Annual Survey of violations of trade union rights.

The ambassador’s representative was given a copy of the urgent motion on Turkey adopted by the EI Executive Board in December 2009. The motion calls on the Turkish authorities to cease using the judicial system against trade unions.

The infringement of trade union rights in Turkey is not restricted to those of the TEKEL workers. Representing EI in the delegation, Human and Trade Union Rights co-ordinator, Dominique Marlet, highlighted the series of attacks by the Turkish authorities on teacher unions, including “the occupation and searches of union premises by security forces, the arrests and preventive detention of union leaders, and the use of excessive violence by the police against teachers who took part in peaceful demonstrations”.

The ETUC, in particular, expressed their regret about the absence of progress by Turkey on the social chapter in the membership negotiations with the European Union. The ILO Commission on Norms will send a tripartite mission to Turkey in early March. They will then issue recommendations to the Turkish authorities about the respect of basic trade unions rights: the freedoms of association, expression, peaceful assembly and to collective bargaining.

EI will continue to monitor the situation in Turkey.