Turkey must improve workers' rights & end child labour
12 Dec '07
3 min read
The government of Turkey has serious work to do when it comes to both legislation and practice dealing with the country's trade unions and the conditions of its workers, a new ITUC report makes clear.
Released to coincide with the Trade Policy Review of Turkey at the World Trade Organisation, the report finds that Turkey continues to limit workers' rights to organise in trade unions and for their unions to bargain collectively, that the Turkish labour market is marred by various forms of discrimination and that hundreds of thousands of children are engaged in work they shouldn't be.
"Considering Turkey's ambitions of joining the European Union, we are puzzled by the fact that Turkey still restricts trade union freedom. The European Commission has repeatedly noted that Turkey must make progress in this area. We can only agree wholeheartedly", said Guy Ryder, General Secretary of the ITUC.
"Turkey excludes many of its citizens, particularly public sector workers, from being members of unions. Its police and other authorities meddle in trade union activities, making a mockery of the nominal freedom of association in the country.
Again and again, the state obstructs collective agreements negotiated between unions and local authorities, in spite of rulings against this practice by the European Court of Human Rights. Turkey needs to improve its importance a long way in order to adhere to the international standards and conventions the countryhas signed up to", said Ryder.
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