Unionists Chain Themselves for Rights

Turkey's Revolutionary Workers Union Confederation (DISK) staged a protest on Monday in front of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) building in Ankara voicing reaction to workers being fired for labour union membership.

Four unionists chained themselves in front of the ILO Ankara office as DISK chairman Suleyman Celebi held a press conference calling on the government to enforce ILO decisions.

"ILO says that union rights in Turkey are being violated, that laws must change. Barriers and the notary condition should be lifted. Ban on strikes should be lifted," Celebi said.

The unionist recalled that the European Union itself regarded union rights as among the primary political criteria and said "obstacles in front of these rights need to be lifted. It is the government's responsibility to do this".

Meanwhile, the unionists who chained themselves in front of the ILO building attracted attention to union right violations in Turkey as the Organisation's meeting in Geneva was still continuing.

The unionists pointed out the following issues:

* The government wishes to put a reservation on articles related to union organisation rights and collective bargaining in the Reviewed European Social Condition that is in front of Parliament.

* Freedom to union activities is not foreseen with the Union Law's conditions on strike and lockout and the drafts related Collective Work Agreements Law. Just the opposite, the same restrictions brought with September 12 [1980 military takeover] are being polished but retained.

* Thousands of workers are being fired for becoming members of unions in various fields of employment and collective agreement authority procedures are turning into court cases that take years. The most basic right of the worker which is to become a union member, is not in effect in this country.

Celebi: Legal arrangements need to be made

Celebi for his part said, "The government should put ILO decisions into practice and make the legal arrangements as soon as possible" and listed the union right violations in Turkey as follows:

* Labour laws which are the product of the 12 September coup prevent the freedom of organisation and violate the right to collective agreements and right to strike.

* Tens of thousands of workers have been fired from their jobs for becoming union members.

* Workers need to put money into a notary to become a union member which is not seen in any other country.

* Unions are hands tied with barriers in work fields and operations

* Collective agreement authorisation procedures become subject to trials that last for years.

* The right to strike is practically banned, there are many bans and obstacles in this field.

* As result of all of these, workers cannot organise unions are losing force, the society cannot become organised.

Celebi also protested the June 11 arrest order issued by a prosecutor against Ports, Dockyards, Ship Building-Repairs Workers Union (LIMTER-IS) chairman Cem Dinc and the union's training expert Kamber Saygili for "resisting the police". The two unions were detained by the police during a crackdown on a labour action in a dockyard in Tuzla. (TK/EO/II/YE)