Turkey’s Labor Unions Confederation holds rally in capital Ankara

Duvar English

The Turkish Confederation of Labor Unions (Türk-İş) on Oct. 20 held a rally at the capital Ankara province’s Tandoğan Square. Approximately 100,000 workers from different provinces and sectors united to say “We Are Struggling, We Can’t Make Ends Meet."

During the speeches, workers chanted slogans such as, "(Finance Ministry) Şimşek, don’t misstep, don’t test our patience," "No charity, we want collective bargaining," "This is just the beginning, the fight continues," "If no compromise, there’s resistance," "We’ve burned the ships, there’s no turning back," "Long live class solidarity," and "No jobs or bread, no peace either."

Türk-İş President Ergun Atalay said, "We have no peace at our workplaces or in our homes. You can't even survive a week, let alone a month, at these workplaces." He continued that the government should provide solutions for, not just responses to issues ranging from pensioners, subcontracted workers, femicides, and farmers’ problems. 

“Minimum wage negotiations will begin in the coming days. Four of our workers will be there. We will adhere to whatever they decide. They will take the decision, and we will comply with it exactly. Enact a law that benefits the worker. We call on the government and the leaders of this country: don’t leave us in the hands of heartless employers,” he added. 

The union president drew attention to worker deaths in the country, noting that at least five workers died daily. 

Next week, the union will submit a 70-page report to Parliament and all NGOs, demanding they change the unfair tax system that disadvantages workers and low-income earners. 

“Mehmet Şimşek's world is different from mine; my world is here. I call out once again to the government and the country's leaders from this square to not ignore us. We are 60 percent of this country. We are not your voting machines. Listen carefully to the voice of this square. If you don’t act in time, you’ll be too late tomorrow, and you have no right to shrink us while you claim to reduce inflation,” the president concluded. 

Some workers booed Atalay during his speech. Workers were seen holding signs that read, "We don’t want a yellow union," which means a union that secretly works for the employer’s interest. After the booing, some workers responded, "Here is the president, here is the union." Türk-İş often receives criticism for cooperating with or not crossing the lines set by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). 

Tuncay Tümoğlu, speaking on behalf of subcontracted workers said, “ The authorities are ignoring the problem. This injustice must end. Two workers working side by side in the same workplace receive different salaries. Subcontracted workers have very limited rights. The necessary legal regulations must be implemented immediately."

Speaking for retirees and pensioners, İbrahim Karaer from the Retirees' Association drew attention to the shrinking pensions amid inflation. “We worked for many years and brought value to this country. We earned our retirement by working in the most dangerous jobs. Millions of retirees can’t make it to the end of the month. Retirees should be living in peace, yet they are struggling to survive. They can’t even cover their healthcare costs, and this is unacceptable. Access to healthcare is not a privilege; it’s a constitutional right,” he said, describing the retirees’ problems.

Speaking on behalf of minimum wage workers, Durmuş Öztürk from the Road Workers Union said, “I am one of the millions of workers earning the minimum wage in this country. We can’t take it anymore. Should we feed our families, educate our children, or fill our bellies on 17,000 lira?” 

He continued, “They squeeze the life out of the worker and throw them out the door. They use unemployment against us. Let them try living on the minimum wage for a day. We want a life worthy of human dignity for ourselves and our families,” expressing the economic difficulties of minimum wage earners.

Worker Remzi Evren also spoke about the tax burden on workers. Evren said, “None of us can take it anymore. We don’t want to be the victims of policies we didn’t create. Our wages are shrinking because of increasing taxes. We want this anti-labor tax policy to change. Our search for labor, peace, and freedom will continue,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of women, Şükran Tuncay Şenol said, “I am a female worker employed in the public sector and also a mother of two. We want an end to tax injustice. Nearly half of the workers in our country work for minimum wage. A large portion of the workforce is paid at the poverty line. We are fighting to put a hot meal on the table for our families and children. We want an end to femicide. We want to live in safety in all areas. Women are strong, and we know this, which is why we will not give up the fight.”

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