Türkiye: Unions mark IWMD, decry alarming number of work-related deaths

BWI affiliates AGAC-IS, CIMSE-IS, ORMAN-IS and TARIM ORMAN-IS, under the umbrella of the Turkish Union of Road, Construction and Building Workers (YOL-IS), gathered in Ankara, Türkiye on 25 April to mark this year’s International Workers’ Memorial Day. The trade unions condemned the alarming number of work-related deaths in industries where they are present, and raised awareness on the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) adoption of occupational health and safety as a fundamental right of workers.

YOL-IS organised the collective observance of the IWMD, which has become a tradition since 2017. It was participated by BWI-affiliated unions from the woodworking, forestry and building materials industries. They joined BWI’s global call to demand safe and healthy working conditions for all workers. They also called for a joint struggle at the national and international levels to put a stop to work-related deaths. 

Union leaders stressed that the workers’ right to adequate standard of living and working is a basic human right. They said that this right must be safeguarded by ensuring protective measures, effective monitoring, increased public awareness on the importance of lives before profit, and consistent trade union advocacy.

YOL-IS President Ramazan Agar emphasised that trade union organising is a key element to secure safe and healthy workplaces. “This is why we stress that healthy, safe and unionised workplaces save lives. We therefore demand the removal of all obstacles to union organisation, notably labour subcontracting,” he said.