August 23, 2007 The government is dragging its feet on signing the contracts although the frame protocol had been signed between the unions and the government representatives. This causes major disagreements to continue in some of large public sector industries. In the 2005-2007 term, which involved more than 321 thousand public workers, many unions signed […]
August 23, 2007
The government is dragging its feet on signing the contracts although the frame protocol had been signed between the unions and the government representatives.
This causes major disagreements to continue in some of large public sector industries.
In the 2005-2007 term, which involved more than 321 thousand public workers, many unions signed contracts, yet, in some plants, labor disputes continue and may further actions if not resolved rapidly.
In addition to the aviation workers who voted for a strike, in recent days, the telecommunication workers of Türk Telekom and Ministry of Defense work places are still waiting for the contracts to be signed.
Another public sector in need of a contract is Petkim. the oil production sector. İbrahim Doğangül, the president of Petrol-İş, the Petroleum-Oil Workers Union of Aliağa branch held a press conference where he stated that they were ready to go to strike together with the aviation and telecommunication workers.
İbrahim Doğangül explained that although in some plants contracts had been signed, the problems continued because the employers were ignoring an item in the agreement and contract signed previously. Ignoring this item, the bosses pay different wages to workers doing the same job. Due to having the lowest pay in the industry, the workers leave when they see no improvement in their paycheck. The intensity of work has increased due to lay offs, but the pay has stayed steady. Today, an oil worker starts around $475.00 a month before taxes.
The union is demanding equal pay for equal work, an item already signed in the previous contract, which the bosses continue to ignore.
Answering to a question on a strike ban of oil workers due to a “security” law, Doğangül said, “We are well aware that in our country we do not have a legal right to strike. But we are not bound by our laws alone. We must also satisfy international legal labor obligations. We also have precedent in recent history favorable to us.
“Even the military coup of 1980’s could not dare take the right to strike of oil workers. In 1986, they declared the plant Petkim to be “strategic” and took away the right to strike. But according to the current government, Petkim is no where near being a “strategic” industry. If it was so, would they plan on selling it to the highest bidder?
“So, the fact that we do not have the right to strike is not our problem but is the shame of this government. In the proposals to comply with ILO regulations, Petkim, alongside other industries is given back the right to strike. But this proposal has been shelved by the government for more than three years now. The AKP (Justctice and Development Party) government, must not have had any time due to its fire sale of all public sectors, is actually breaking the law by not democratizing and not bringing our country up to the level other nations. That is why Turkey is put on the black list by ILO every year.”
M.B.
