In partnership with International Trade Union Confederation,
which represents 175 million workers in 153 countries and territories
and has 308 national affiliates, and the following global union
federations: EI, ITF and PSI.
On 25 June, Turkish police detained 71 trade union members and leaders
in around 20 cities. They are members of the ITUC-affiliated
Confederation of Public Sector Workers’ Unions (KESK) and the
KESK-affiliated unions such as BTS, Tarim Orkam-Sen, Egitim-Sen, SES,
Tum Bel-Sen, BES, ESM and Haber-Sen. The police raided the union offices
and houses of trade unionists in the early hours of the day. This
attack – carried out under the pretext of an operation against an
illegal terrorist organisation – is the latest in a number of acts of
intimidation and harassment against trade unions and their members
during the years under the rule of the Justice and Development Party
(AKP). For example, in February this year, 15 women leaders and
activists of a number of KESK-affiliated unions were arrested. While the
first link between Turkey’s trade unions and any real or perceived
terrorist organisation has yet to be found, the authorities leave no
opportunity untapped to refer to such an alleged link as an excuse for
harsh and arbitrary repression. Join the ITUC and Global Union
Federations such as EI, ITF and PSI in condemning these anti-union
harassment tactics by sending this message to Prime Minister Erdogan,
urging him to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of all 71
detained trade unionists.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.