ETUC’s May Day Message to DİSK
Esther Lynch, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, sent a message to congratulate the May Day of workers in Turkey and condemn the bans on Taksim Square.
Dear sisters and brothers,
I am writing to you to express the full solidarity and support of the European Trade Union Confederation with all workers and their trade unions demonstrating today in Türkiye for the May Day.
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) represents more than 45 million workers from all across Europe, 93 national trade union confederations and 10 European Trade Union Federations. We are the European cross-sectoral social partner organisation representing workers and trade unions.
We recall that European and international human rights instruments recognise and defend trade union rights, the freedom of assembly and association. Also, the Constitution of Türkiye guarantees the freedom of association and assembly. We also recall that States must safeguard the right to assemble peacefully.
Taksim Square is a symbolic area for the trade union movement in Türkiye.
It is of paramount importance that the state ensures the possibility for trade unions to fully exercise their right to peaceful assembly in Taksim Square on May Day.
For this reason, we call on the authorities to lift the restrictions for the organisation of the May Day celebrations in Taksim Square and to take the necessary measures to allow workers to celebrate May Day in Taksim.
This is the most symbolic event for the state of freedom of expression, democracy and trade union rights in Türkiye.
We call on the government to fully respect the right of association and assembly.
Working people all across Europe, and in Türkiye also, are facing a dramatic cost-of-living crisis. More and more workers struggle to make ends meet and are at risk of poverty. Wage increases are needed to ensure that all workers and their families can pay the rent, can put food on the table, can pay their energy bills, can enjoy a decent standard of living.
For years, the ETUC has been campaigning – with your support – to stress that “Europe needs a pay raise!”. We have been mobilising together for fair wages, tax and social justice and the fight against poverty. We call for higher statutory minimum wages and for reinforced collective bargaining in all sectors.
Too many work accidents still take place in Türkiye and in Europe, too many people get sick or die at work or because of work.
It is unacceptable that people have to put their lives at risk when going to work.
It is unacceptable that they have to work too long, and get sick or do not have work-life balance.
We also need urgent actions to ensure safety and health at work for all.
In the latest (10th) edition of the ITUC Global Rights Index, Türkiye has – again – the sad privilege to be part of the 10 worst countries in the world for working people. Being a union member in Türkiye is still ground for dismissal, the right to strike and the right to collective bargaining are often denied. In 2023, workers and trade union freedoms and rights continued to be relentlessly attacked, with police cracking down on protests, and trade union leaders – some of you – arbitrarily arrested.
On the May Day, we reiterate our demand for full respect for workers and trade union rights.
A year ago (February 6th) multiple earthquakes devastated the South East of Türkiye, with the dramatic consequences you know.
The reconstruction started quickly after the earthquakes, but then slowed down. Thousands people are still homeless. The UN estimated the total cost to more than 100 billion $, a huge amount of money: the tenders should be transparent and should ensure fair working conditions and full respect for trade union and workers rights.
The ETUC also calls again on the Government of Türkiye to reverse its decision to withdraw from the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combatting violence against women (Istanbul Convention). We consider that that decision undermines women’s rights and sends the wrong signal to all women in Türkiye and beyond.
Dear sisters and brothers,
The European Trade Union Confederation is with you in your struggle for a fair deal for workers, and we reiterate our support to DISK and to Turkish trade unions and workers on the occasion of the May Day.
In solidarity,
Esther Lynch,
General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation
