"Bag Law" Exploits Labourers

The Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK) initiated protests all over the country against the so called "Law Bag" since it makes the working conditions of labourers more difficult and reduces job security.

The package is called "Law Bag" because a considerable number of laws have been squeezed inside.

The protest will start today (21 January) at 12.00 hrs noon time in front of each and every DİSK district directorate in the country. In Istanbul, labourers are going to gather in front of the DİSK directorate in Şişli (European side) to walk in a demonstration all the way to Takism.

The group also protested against the lay-off of 45employees of İş Bank Nemtrans (logistic company). They posted a banner reading "We were laid off because we became union members, take the laid off workers back".

"A new attack on labour rights"

A group of about 400 protestors demanded to lift the Bag Law that allegedly exploits labourers by supporting employers and investors. They criticized the government of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) that enacted the law package.

The workers argued that the minimum wage was TL 600 (€ 300) and voiced their partially quite harsh criticism in slogans such as "Tayyip, you go and live on 600 lira", "Tayyip into the bag, workers to the power", "Government, take the law and forget about it" and "Resisting workers will win".

DİSK President Süleyman Çelebi read out a press release in front of the Gezi Park in Taksim. "Whenever the AKP talks about the struggle against unemployment, the encouragement by investors, public seizures for the workers and the plundering of funds established for the unemployed come to the agenda, Çelebi argued. He described the Bag Law as yet another attack on the rights of the workers.

bianet talked to Himet Kabuk, Beyoğlu (Istanbul) District Mayor of the Democratic Left Party (DSP) about the Unemployment Insurance Fund established by a one percent contribution of the workers' salaries and a two percent contribution of the employers. Kabuk criticized that it was rather used to close budget deficits and that it was distributed to employers instead of using it as an instrument to help the workers.

"Long working hours and little holidays"

Çelebi pointed to the fact that Turkey is one of the countries with the longest working hours in international comparison. Turkish workers work ten hours more per week than their colleagues in the rest of Europe. Wages and leave entitlement on the other hand are very low in comparison. Çelebi criticized that under the disguise of a few well-designed articles, the law comprised a number of articles seizing the workers' rights.

"The AKP government combines the exploitation of cheap labour, a way of trimming of workers' and labourers' rights, the expectations of a broad section of society and the seizure of the workers in one law. The law exiles permanent employees. It includes tax amnesty, amnesty of students (who were expelled from university) and an improvement of pensions on one hand; on the other hand the law also provides a flexibility that means more exploitation, lack of security for young people, decreased payments for trainees and apprentices and contracting. Additionally, it comprises tax reductions for managers, incitements and supports".

Çelebi's speech was interrupted by slogans chanted by the crowd several times. At the end of the press release, he called on the government to lift the regulations regarding the field of labour immediately, "Sort the bag out. Refrain yourselves from this dirty game", he said. (EG/EÖ)