WORKERS IN TURKEY

ARE DENIED THEIR

RIGHTS

Dear Minister,

I acknowledge constitutional amendments passed by referendum in September 2010

intended to improve workers’ access to their rights. However, I am concerned that the
amendments do not provide for full compliance with International Labour Organization
(ILO) standards. I am also concerned that, as of March 2011, implementing legislation
in domestic law has not followed constitutional amendments.

Turkey has ratified the ILO core Conventions 87 and 98 and is therefore obliged to
guarantee workers’ fundamental rights to freedom of association, to organise, bargain
collectively and to strike. In 2011 the ILO Committee of Experts issued a series of
recommendations to the Turkish authorities to bring legislation into conformity with
ILO standards.

I call on you to ensure that:

s TRADE UNIONISTS AND OTHER WORKERS CAN EXERCISE THEIR INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED RIGHTS
as set out by the ILO conventions that Turkey has ratified;
s DOMESTIC LEGISLATION COMPLIES WITH ),/ STANDARDS GOVERNING THE RIGHTS TO ORGANISE
to strike and to bargain collectively, in both the private and public sectors
s AS A lRST STEP FOLLOWING THE CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES DOMESTIC LAW IS AMENDED TO
ensure that public sector workers enjoy full collective bargaining rights.

Name Signature

Address
WORKERS IN TURKEY ARE
DENIED THEIR RIGHTS
Workers in Turkey cannot access their
internationally recognized rights fully as
a result of laws that breach international
labour rights standards. Although the
constitutional amendments passed by
referendum in September 2010 brought
some positive changes, the implementing
legislation in domestic law governing labour
rights has not yet followed constitutional
amendments.
In the private sector the right to organise
and form trade unions fall short of
international standards. Despite the
recent constitutional changes, there
continues to be limitations to the right
to strike.
Public employees previously did not have
the right to join or form trade unions, to
Photo: xxxxxxxxxx
Minister of Labour and Social Security
Mr Ömer Dinçer
Çaliüma ve Sosyal Güvenlik Bakanliùi
úsmet únönü Bulvar× No: 42
Emek
Ankara
Turkey
bargain collectively or to strike. Following
the constitutional amendments, they were
granted the right to conclude collective
agreements. However, public employees
will not enjoy full collective bargaining
rights until domestic law is amended.
The right to strike is still denied to all
civil servants.
The International Labour Organisation
(ILO) has issued detailed guidance on how
Turkey can bring its labour laws into line
with the ILO Core Conventions on the
right to organise, the right to strike and
the right to bargain collectively in the
public and private sector. But these
reforms have yet to be implemented. WORKERS’
RIGHTS
= HUMAN
RIGHTS
Find out more:
www.amnesty.org.uk/tradeunions
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