European unions call for solidarity ahead of health workers’ union members’ trial

The European Public Service Unions Federation (EPSU), representing 8 million public service workers across Europe, has issued a call for solidarity ahead of the 10th hearing on October 2 in the trial of members and executives of the Health and Social Service Workers' Union (SES).

Affiliated with EPSU, of which SES is also a member, unions representing millions of workers from various countries have started to release messages of solidarity before the upcoming hearing, urging the Ministry of Justice to drop all charges.

Jan Willem Goudriaan, General Secretary of EPSU, emphasized the importance of international solidarity in a letter sent to all EPSU members.

Goudriaan recalled that Gönül Erden, the former Co-Chair of SES, was released on March 13, and Selma Atabey, who was the Co-Chair at the time and is now the female secretary, was released on June 6 during hearings attended by an international trade union delegation.

Despite there being no detained union members in the trial, Goudriaan pointed out that some SES members are still under house arrest, and the charges against them persist. He emphasized that SES members continue to face the constant threat of arrest.

Throughout the week, EPSU members will post messages of solidarity on social media with the hashtag #SolidarityWithSES, tagging the Ministry of Justice and Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç.

Prominent labor unions and confederations from across Europe, including FNV (Netherlands), ver.di (Germany), CGT (France), CGIL (Italy), UNISON (UK), and many others, have already joined the campaign.

EPSU will continue to share solidarity messages from its members throughout the week through the X account with the hashtag #SolidarityWithSES. (VC/VK)