ITUC: Turkey among the worst 10 countries for workers

Photo: DİSK

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Turkey is among the 10 worst countries in the world for working people, according to the 2020 Global Rights Index by the International Trade Unions Confederation (ITUC).

The report that is annually published during the International Labor Organization's (ILO) conferences, was released digitally this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the report, the 10 worst countries out of 144 are Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Turkey and Zimbabwe.

Workers have no access to justice in 103 countries

In this year, the number of countries that prevent union activities rose from 86 to 89 as the rights to strike and to collective negotiations were violated in numerous countries, says the report.

Also, joining unions or establishing new ones have become more difficult as workers were excluded from the right to unionizing in 106 countries, the report indicates.

Here are facts from the report:

Turkey is "one of the most hostile countries" to unionists

Turkey is one of the most hostile countries in the world for trade unionists, especially since the attempted coup in 2016, according to the report.

"In a climate of fear and under the constant threat of retaliation, workers struggled to unite and form unions, while employers actively deterred any attempt to do so by firing union organizers and engaging in union-busting practices," the ITUC notes.

The report recalls the criminal case against Arzu Çerkezoğlu, the head of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), over her criticism against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in 2016. She was later acquitted of charges.

It also mentions the dismissal of workers at İzmir's Aliağa District Municipality and lawsuits against the members of the Confederation of Public Employees' Unions (KESK). (HA/VK)