Skip to main content

ITF delegation warns further Turkish government repression likely

ニュース

The warning came as the delegation was prevented from visiting unjustly imprisoned union colleagues, and amid continuing police violence against union members.  

The ITF delegation consisted of Noel Coard, head of inland transport sections; Liz Blackshaw, campaigns director; and Deniz Akdogan, senior section assistant, inland transport sections. It was in Turkey from 4-8 September.  

The delegation:

  • met with the Liman-Is dockers’ union; Demiryol-Is railway workers’ Union; BTS (United Transport Public Employees’ Union); and the president and general secretary of the TURK-IS union association in Ankara. It also met road transport unions TÜMTİS and Nakliyat-Is; DADDER (seafarers’ association); TDS (seafarers’ union); and Limter-Is (dockers’ and shipyard workers’ union) in Istanbul;
  • joined the TÜMTİS picket line in front of DHL Express in Istanbul;
  • met the undersecretary and deputy undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to express ITF concerns over employers’ anti-union behavior and the imprisonment of trade unionists; and  
  • met the ILO country official to discuss ITF concerns over Turkey’s violations of freedom of association and free collective bargaining, and to express support for the call by the ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation) not to attend the ILO regional conference in Istanbul because of those concerns.  

Mr Coard said: “The commission of the ministry of justice turned down our request for talks and prevented us from visiting Nurettin Kilicdogan, the jailed TÜMTİS branch president.   

“The government called in all ministers, and there is a strong suspicion among Turkish trade unions that an escalation in the already high levels of violence against Turkish workers is imminent. The ITF is not going away and on behalf of our Turkish members we will continue to hold the government to account in international forums.”  

ITF president Paddy Crumlin added that the delegation had uncovered further worrying evidence of the Erdogan government’s anti-union, anti-democratic agenda and that its offers of dialogue had been rejected. He warned that the mass arrests, mass dismissals of public sector workers, and efforts to intimidate and muzzle the press were turning Turkey into a pariah nation, and urged the government to step back from the brink and abide by its international obligations.  

Read more about the delegation’s visit to Turkey:  

ITF fact-finding and solidarity mission arrives in Turkey. 

ITF mission to Turkey warns further government repression likely. 

In March 2017 the ITF protested against jail sentences for Turkish trade unionists. Read more in English and Turkish, see the campaign page and visit www.labourstart.org/go/tumtis

The ITF has consistently criticised the government’s persecution of Turkish trade unions and their members, including by mounting co-ordinated international protests.

Post new comment

Restricted HTML

  • Allowed HTML tags: <a href hreflang> <em> <strong> <cite> <blockquote cite> <code> <ul type> <ol start type> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <h2 id> <h3 id> <h4 id> <h5 id> <h6 id>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Web page addresses and email addresses turn into links automatically.

現場の声

ニュース

2024年ITF世界大会、平和、労働者の権利、国際連帯への大胆なコミットメントで閉会

マラケシュで開催された2024年ITF世界大会の歴史的最終セッションでは、全世界の交通運輸労組の揺るぎない決意を再確認し、今後5年間のITF戦略を策定する重要な動議を採択し、役員の選出も行った。 労働者の力を高め、搾取と分断を進める勢力に対抗することに明確な焦点を当てた今大会は、激動の増す世界において、正義、平等、連帯のテーマを定め、譲ることのできない一線を明確にした。その中心にあるのは
ニュース

ミレイ政権(アルゼンチン)の反労組の法律に抗議し、交通運輸労組がスト

 ITF は本日ストを決行するアルゼンチンの交通運輸労働者に連帯を送る。  アルゼンチンの交通運輸労組は、ハビエル・ミレイ大統領の労働者に対する攻撃(緊縮財政、スト権に対する攻撃、反労組の政策等)に抗議している。  ミレイ政権は、投資家に減税を施し、大企業に迎合する一方、国営のアルゼンチン航空を民営化して、補助金を撤廃しようとしている。  これまで
ニュース

我々の運動を発展・活性化させる青年労働者

ITFの青年登録人員は2018年の前回大会時の115万人から178万人へ 55%増加した。 これは、ITF加盟組織が青年を優先させ、より幅広く利益代表できる力強いグローバル組織の構築を目指した結果である。 本日、マラケシュで開催されたITF青年総会に、 71カ国、 142組合から 190人を超える青年労働者が参加した。参加者は組織拡大を祝うとともに、「安定した仕事と安全な職場は、もはや希望ではなく