2 May, 2010Workers and unions celebrate May Day in Taksim Square for the first time in more than 30 years; global unions, including the IMF, show support and pledge to coordinate continued solidarity actions to defend workers' rights in Turkey.
TURKEY: Around 200,000 workers and unionists gathered in Taksim Square in Istanbul on May Day for the first time since 1977 when 37 people were killed by a gunman who opened fire on crowds. No one has ever been brought to justice for these murders. Police have frequently used tear gas, water cannons and batons to disperse crowds gathering in the Square to commemorate May Day since.
While the Turkish government decided to declare May Day as an official holiday last year and reopen the square this year, the struggle for unions and workers in Turkey continues.
Unions assembling in Taksim Square demanded their rights to freedom of association and to organize, job security in all sectors and a secure life for all people. As workers from all six Turkish labour confederations retook Taksim Square, Sinter Metal workers and members of IMF affiliate Birlesik Metal Is reflected on their long struggle and the historical significance of this day in the Turkish labour movement.
"The failure of justice is a comedy. Turkish trade union law should not take the employers' side, but generally workers who organize face the same problem of victimization through dismissal all over the country. Our case was a big number-350 workers dismissed to avoid accepting the trade union-but this problem is so widespread, and justice hangs in the balance of one judge.
"In our case, this one labour court judge delayed our unfair dismissal case seven times, and we are suffering severe financial hardship. But I learned that nothing in life can be gained without a struggle and I will only get my rights if I fight for it. This year's May Day is exciting and good. Last year, only 3,000 workers made it into Taksim Square and through clouds of tear gas, so many workers were afraid to come this year. But this year, we are in Taksim Square. It is emotional to see workers show their power to all. Next year I hope there will be more of us here," said one of the Sinter Metal workers.
The Sinter Metal workers have held many protest actions and finally went on hunger strike March 2 to 6, 2010 to demand reinstatement and a ruling by the court on their unfair dismissal case of December 2008. Contrary to company's claims, the Turkish Labour Ministry found that the dismissals were not motivated by the economic crisis. The judge postponed a ruling on their unfair dismissal case for the seventh time to August 2010 and the struggle continues.
The global union movement is concerned about worker and trade union rights in Turkey which include dismissals and physical violence and the worrying trend in judicial union harassment, whereby trade unionists are being tried on "terrorist" charges including Public Services International-affiliated teachers' union branch secretary, Seher Tümer.
On April 30, representatives from seven global union federations, including the IMF, and the International Confederation of Trade Unions and the European Confederation of Trade Unions, met with various affiliated unions in Turkey to coordinate ongoing solidarity actions and to highlight the global union movement's determination to defend workers' rights in Turkey.
The Global Unions that took part, who also joined Turkish trade unions in their march to Taksim Square, are: International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), Education International (EI), UNI (Union Network International), International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), IUF (International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Association), International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF), International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation (ITGLWF) and Public Services International (PSI).