Report: 855 Workers Tested Positive, 52 Died of Covid-19 in a Month

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After Turkey confirmed its first coronavirus case, 855 workers from 159 workplaces tested positive and 52 workers died of Covid-19 in a month, a report by the Health and Safety Labor Watch (İSİG) has revealed.

Among those who lost their lives, 40 were salary workers and 12 were working on their own selves. Their average age was 51, seven of them were women and 45 were men.

Twenty-nine workers died in İstanbul, the largest and the most affected city, four workers died in İzmir and three workers died in Ankara, the capital.

Fifteen of them were working in the trade/office sector, 12 were in the healthcare sector and seven in the accommodation sector. At least seven of them were union workers.

Since March 11, Turkey has confirmed nearly 75 thousand cases and 1,648 deaths of Covid-19.

Unemployment

"The first month of the outbreak was considered an 'opportunity' by the government and bosses," the report says, adding that 81 companies laid off workers within this time. Accommodation and construction were the sectors where layoffs were most common, along with followed by textile, shopping malls and port operators.

Though their labor contracts have not been canceled, thousands of workers, most notably restaurant and tourism workers, have actually become unemployed due to the halt of services of production, the report notes.

"This situation has affected all sectors and areas where there is temporary and precarious work. In particular, women, children and migrant workers, the main body of informal employment, have become unemployed and have been left without an income in this period."

Forced unpaid leave

In one month, 107 workplaces halted production or services and 303 workplaces forced workers to take unpaid leave or take annual leave, while Covid-19 cases were seen in some of them, the report has found.

"Many of these workplaces have imposed unpaid leave on workers instead of granting them paid administrative leave, workers have been forced to use annual leaves in some workplaces," the report notes.

"The pause of production in large factories such as Bosch, Sarkuysan, Tofaş, Ford Otosan, Nemak İzmir, ABB Dudullu will end within April. The fact that the production/service will continue in the workplaces where Covid-19 cases are seen and no additional measures are taken will accelerate the spread of the outbreak in the workplaces, and massive Covid-19 cases will be seen in the workplaces."

Lack of precautions

Many workplaces either apply precautions for coronavirus ostensibly or don't take measures at all, the report says. Health and safety measures for workers were not taken in 251 workplaces and they were forced to work open to being exposed to the epidemic, the report notes, adding that workers acquire protective equipment by their own means, trying to protect their health.

Social distancing in workplaces, dining areas and transportation was also not possible for workers, according to the report.

Working overtime

The increase in demand in some sectors leads employers to pressure their workers to work overtime, the report states. "Excessive and flexible work is imposed in many sectors, especially on health workers, cargo workers and market workers." (TP/VK)