Employees of the Women Candidates Support Association (KA.DER) staged a protest today (March 6) against rights violations such as workplace bullying, low wages, non-payment of overtime, and the lack of recognition of union rights in the institution.
The protest in front of KA.DER's office in Mecidiyeköy, İstanbul, received support from unions, women's organizations, and political parties.
"Deviated from its founding principles"
Speaking at the event, KA.DER employee Gülşah Kızılkaya stated that the organization's current management has deviated from its founding purpose and principles. She said, "The current executives of KA.DER not only make no effort to maintain the income level of the women working within the organization during the severe economic crisis but also do not hesitate to employ them without any benefits. On the contrary, when we express that these working conditions are inhumane, the Chairperson of the Board, Nuray Karaoğlu, systematically applies mobbing tactics, bordering on harassment."
Kızılkaya mentioned that due to the disappearance of opportunities for dialogue with Karaoğlu, they have organized within DİSK Sosyal-İş union. She expressed that KA.DER management has not granted a meeting to the union for a month. She conveyed Karaoğlu's response to them, stating, "It's not an authorized union, do I have to meet with them?"
Low wages and long working hours
Furthermore, she mentioned that despite the official inflation rate of 64.77%, they received only a 13.5% raise. She explained that the management's response to this was that "the budget of the foundation is limited."
When they expressed their discontent, Karaoğlu reportedly stated, "Our working conditions comply with the law."
Kızılkaya continued by stating that they are required to work overtime at least three days a week, and their requests for overtime pay are denied with the explanation that "there is no such practice at KA.DER." She also conveyed that Karaoğlu constantly calls employees outside of working hours, and if they don't answer, they are reprimanded.
She added that issues such as menstrual leave and employees being on leave on March 8 are consistently presented as problems. Additionally, she mentioned that their breaks are restricted, and the work environment is constantly monitored by cameras. Kızılkaya continued her remarks by saying:
"Working in a women's organization under conditions of very low wages, constant overtime, where our 'performance' is measured through mobbing, constant surveillance by cameras, and a lack of transparent communication, we are told that everything is legal.
Just yesterday, on March 5th, when we returned from our lunch break, the phones provided for work were confiscated. Not only that, but without any explanation, a program was installed on our computers that we were unaware of. This is what they understand from both legality and being a women's organization."
Şengül İşçi, the İstanbul Branch chair of DİSK Sosyal-İş union, also stated in her speech here that every day brings a new addition to the rights violations against female workers employed by KA.DER.
İşçi called on the KA.DER management to eliminate low wages, overtime work, rights violations, mobbing, and obstacles to union organizing. (HA/PE)
