Layoffs should be temporarily banned, Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions urges
The Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions urged all employers March 31 to temporarily ban layoffs to prevent unemployment during the coronavirus outbreak. The confederation also called for a 15-day pause in production, except for urgent goods, and for the allocation of Turkey’s unemployment fund to workers in need.
Duvar English
The Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions called for a temporary ban on layoffs March 31 to avoid unemployment during the coronavirus outbreak.
“Preventative measures in the workplace are necessary to slow the spread of the virus and to ensure the health of workers,” Confederation President Ergün Atalay said.
Temporarily halting layoffs was one of the confederation’s three suggestions announced by Atalay, adding that the measure would assure sustainable income for families during the outbreak.
All production, except for the production of urgent equipment, should be suspended for at least 15 days to curb the spread of the virus, Atalay added.
The government should swiftly start allocating the Unemployment Insurance Fund to prevent victimization due to layoffs, Atalay noted.
“All workers who were laid off because of the global pandemic should receive financial aid from the government and unemployment insurance,” Atalay said.
The Family, Labor and Social Services Ministry should track layoffs during the outbreak, Atalay added.