ECONOMY - Bianet

ECONOMY

Page 29

Police Intervention Against DİSK Members Who Want to Take to Taksim for May Day

Police Intervention Against DİSK Members Who Want to Take to Taksim for May Day

The police have blockaded the DİSK Confederation Central Office in İstanbul in early morning hours today. Attempting to take to Taksim Square to celebrate the May Day, DİSK Chair Çerkezoğlu and 25 others have been detained.

Central Bank Cuts Year-End Inflation Forecast

Central Bank Cuts Year-End Inflation Forecast

The 0.8 percentage point fall was driven by the downward revision in the projections of the output gap and food inflation, the Central Bank governor has said.

Turkey’s Foreign Trade Deficit Increased by 181.6 Percent in March

Turkey’s Foreign Trade Deficit Increased by 181.6 Percent in March

According to the Foreign Trade Statistics shared by the TurkStat, exports decreased by 17.8 percent in March 2020 in comparison with the same month last year, imports have increased by 3.1 percent when compared with March 2019.

‘In None of My Unemployed Periods Did I Feel So Hopeless as Now’

‘In None of My Unemployed Periods Did I Feel So Hopeless as Now’

Having started to work at a tourism agency after being unemployed for over two years, Bülent Demirer has now lost his job due to coronavirus. According to Progressive Tourism Workers Union, there are over three million unemployed people in the sector.

29 April 2020 Hikmet Adal

‘They Don’t Support You Because You are “Small Business Owner”, But Levy Taxes’

‘They Don’t Support You Because You are “Small Business Owner”, But Levy Taxes’

Özlem Çalışkan is the founder of “Helmeli” homemade food restaurant in İstanbul. Speaking to bianet about work life in the days of Covid-19 pandemic, she says that no one supports women who strive to stand on their own feet in Turkey.

28 April 2020 Evrim Kepenek

‘Rate of Covid-19 Cases Among DİSK Members 3.2 Times Higher Than Turkey Average’

‘Rate of Covid-19 Cases Among DİSK Members 3.2 Times Higher Than Turkey Average’

In its third report on the effects of the pandemic on its members, the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) has shared information about the rate of Covid-19 cases among workers and conditions in workplaces.

Grocery Worker: We Work 12 Hours a Day, Threatened to be Fired if We Speak to Media

Grocery Worker: We Work 12 Hours a Day, Threatened to be Fired if We Speak to Media

An employee at the Şok Market grocery chain has told bianet about their working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic.

28 April 2020 Hikmet Adal

‘No Social Distance in Workplaces, Difficult to Access Disinfectants and Masks’

‘No Social Distance in Workplaces, Difficult to Access Disinfectants and Masks’

In a recent report, the Confederation of Public Workers’ Unions (KESK) has noted that especially the personnel of Family Health Centers are at high risk and urged the authorities to halt work except for the fields that are absolutely necessary.

'Poverty Line' and Food Prices Increase Amid Pandemic

'Poverty Line' and Food Prices Increase Amid Pandemic

The Türk-İş union confederation has released its "Monthly Starvation and Poverty Line Survey."

Intensive Care Worker Mehtap: We are in Protective Overalls for 12 Hours, We Soak Wet

Intensive Care Worker Mehtap: We are in Protective Overalls for 12 Hours, We Soak Wet

Intensive care worker Mehtap tells bianet, “We work as a team. Physicians and nurses treat the patients, we care for them. We clean their bottoms and bodies, comb their hair and shave them. But, Health Minister doesn’t even see us as health workers.”

24 April 2020 Ruken Tuncel

Hotel Worker: We are Put on Unpaid Leave, Now We Don't Even Have Money for Shopping

Hotel Worker: We are Put on Unpaid Leave, Now We Don't Even Have Money for Shopping

"Our boss, who has nine hotels, has a hotel in London, doesn't pay our salaries on the excuse of coronavirus," says a hotel worker in Taksim, a tourist district in İstanbul.

24 April 2020 Hikmet Adal

3,544 Workers Infected with Covid-19 in İstanbul, Says Labor Unions’ Platform

3,544 Workers Infected with Covid-19 in İstanbul, Says Labor Unions’ Platform

İstanbul Labor Union Branches’ Platform has announced that 2,902 workers suspected to have contracted coronavirus are in quarantine in İstanbul while 34 workers have so far died of the disease in the city.

Those Who Work During Pandemic Speak out

Those Who Work During Pandemic Speak out

Pharmacist Turgay Korkmaz, a worker from the warehouse of an e-commerce website E.E. and Evrensel Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Fatih Polat have spoken to bianet about their work life in Turkey in the days of Covid-19 pandemic.

24 April 2020 Meltem Suat

Central Bank Reduces Policy Interest Rate from 9.75 to 8.75 Percent

Central Bank Reduces Policy Interest Rate from 9.75 to 8.75 Percent

Central Bank has reduced the policy rate (one-week repo auction rate) from 9.75 to 8.75 percent. Referring to the spread of the coronavirus, the bank has indicated that it continues to take expansionary measures in this context.

Infected Shipyard Worker: 'We Asked for a Leave, They Said Ships Need to be Completed'

Infected Shipyard Worker: 'We Asked for a Leave, They Said Ships Need to be Completed'

Despite the pandemic, thousands of workers continue to work at the shipyards in Tuzla, İstanbul.

22 April 2020 Ruken Tuncel

‘We Worked During Curfew as Well; It is a Construction Work, is it Really Urgent?’

‘We Worked During Curfew as Well; It is a Construction Work, is it Really Urgent?’

Highway construction worker: “We are told that if we want to leave, we are free to do so. We can, of course, leave. We would rather starve to death than endure so many insults. But we have families, we are not responsible only for ourselves.”

22 April 2020 Ayça Söylemez

Construction Workers Yusuf, Emre: Contractor Acts Like There Exists No Such Disease

Construction Workers Yusuf, Emre: Contractor Acts Like There Exists No Such Disease

Yusuf and Emre have spoken to bianet: “They gave us a black mask. One of those that you can wash… As gloves, we wear our construction gloves. They put liquid soap at the washbasin, nothing else… If we catch the disease, we will die away from our families.”

21 April 2020 Ruken Tuncel

‘Rate of Covid-19 Cases Among Workers At Least 3 Times Higher Than Turkey Average’

‘Rate of Covid-19 Cases Among Workers At Least 3 Times Higher Than Turkey Average’

In its second weekly report on the effects of the pandemic on its members, the DİSK has noted that “as its data only cover unionized workplaces, it is possible to say that the rate of Covid-19 cases is much higher in non-unionized or unregistered ones.”

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

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

Thousands of workers have lost their income due to forced unpaid leaves and halt of production and services, the report says.

‘We Work on the Same Belt, It is Impossible to Keep a Distance More Than Half a Meter’

‘We Work on the Same Belt, It is Impossible to Keep a Distance More Than Half a Meter’

Working in textile for 15 years, Türkan is one of those who cannot stay home: “It is like we, workers, would save the country from the outbreak. It is as if the country would collapse, if they halted constructions and textile for three months…”

17 April 2020 Ruken Tuncel

At Least 4 Workers Lose Their Lives, 257 Workers Test Positive

At Least 4 Workers Lose Their Lives, 257 Workers Test Positive

Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) has documented the impacts of Covid-19 on its members in a report. While the production has been halted in 47 workplaces, over 51 thousand members have been directly affected by the outbreak.

Health Laborers’ Union: Health Workers’ Right to Life Being Violated

Health Laborers’ Union: Health Workers’ Right to Life Being Violated

Health and Social Service Laborers’ Union (SES) has released a monthly report amid Covid-19 pandemic: “Healthcare laborers should know that in case their health and lives are at risk, they can halt work until the necessary safe conditions are ensured."

IMF: Turkey's Economy May Shrink by 5 Percent in 2020

IMF: Turkey's Economy May Shrink by 5 Percent in 2020

The Fund expects Turkey to have an unemployment rate of 17.2 percent at the end of the year.

What will Happen to Street Vendors During the Pandemic?

What will Happen to Street Vendors During the Pandemic?

Some of the six million street vendors in the country can neither work nor receive aid from the government, says a finance expert.

14 April 2020 Utkucan Akkaş

'For Fear of Losing Their Jobs, Chronically Ill People Continue to Work Despite Curfew'

'For Fear of Losing Their Jobs, Chronically Ill People Continue to Work Despite Curfew'

Knowing that they might have Covid-19 with little or no symptoms, many people take the risk and continue working for the fear of losing their jobs, according to the Workplace Doctors' Association chair.

14 April 2020 Ruken Tuncel

Courier Worker: We Don’t Want to be ‘Super Carriers’ of the Virus

Courier Worker: We Don’t Want to be ‘Super Carriers’ of the Virus

Long working hours, the breaks they are not allowed to take, overtime wages they are not paid… A courier worker has spoken to bianet about their workload and demands amid coronavirus outbreak.

13 April 2020 Evrim Kepenek

‘Refugee Workers Work More, Get Paid Less’

‘Refugee Workers Work More, Get Paid Less’

The Leather, Textile, Shoe Workers’ Association has released its Refugee Workers Report. Based on face-to-face meetings with 100 workers in İzmir, the report documents the hardships experienced by refugee workers in their work lives.

‘Boss Doesn’t Give Soap, Customers Leave Used Gloves on the Shelves’

‘Boss Doesn’t Give Soap, Customers Leave Used Gloves on the Shelves’

A market worker has spoken to bianet about her days during the pandemic: “Toilets and dining halls are dirty. We consider ourselves lucky if we can find liquid soap, let alone disinfectants. We cannot warn customers, some of them tuck their gloves in shelves.”

10 April 2020 Ayça Söylemez

Unemployment Rate Stands at 13.8 Percent in January

Unemployment Rate Stands at 13.8 Percent in January

The TurkStat has announced the labor force statistics for January.

Grocery Chain Forces Employees to Deliver Orders on Foot, Fires Those Who Reject

Grocery Chain Forces Employees to Deliver Orders on Foot, Fires Those Who Reject

The Şok grocery chain has recently introduced home delivery due to the coronavirus pandemic.

8 April 2020 Hikmet Adal

Young Employees Exempted from Curfew: 'Does a Divine Power Protect Them?'

Young Employees Exempted from Curfew: 'Does a Divine Power Protect Them?'

More than 800 thousand people aged between 18 and 20 have been exempted from the curfew. Union representatives say the decision is discriminatory.

7 April 2020 Ruken Tuncel

14 Workers Lose Their Lives Due to Coronavirus in March

14 Workers Lose Their Lives Due to Coronavirus in March

According to the Health and Safety Labor Watch report, at least 113 workers lost their lives in occupational homicides last month. While 14 workers died of coronavirus, two of the deceased workers were children working in agriculture and metal sectors.