Turkey among top 5 violators of ILO conventions: DİSK

Turkey is one of the five worst performing countries in terms of violations of International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions, the Hurriyet Daily News reports citing a report prepared by the research unit of the country’s Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK).

Turkey’s violations were discussed at the ILO Committee on the Application of Standards seven times between 2005 and 2015, the report said, adding this figure was the second highest number after Belarus and Guatemala, both of which were brought to the committee’s agenda nine times.

Iran and Myanmar accompanied Turkey as the second worst performers, as they were also discussed seven times at the committee over the same decade, according to the report announced ahead of the 105th Session of the International Labor Conference that commenced on May 30 and is set to continue until June 10.

According to the report, six of Turkey’s seven violations were violations of ILO Convention 87 on the freedom of association and protection of the right to organize convention and Convention 98 on the right to organize and collective bargaining – both related to union rights.

Each year, around 25 shortlisted states are discussed at the Committee on the Application of Standards based on their performance determined by an annual Committee of Experts report which highlights the countries with the heaviest violations. Being part of the shortlist indicates a poor performance in the proper application of convention provisions.

The DİSK report suggested Turkey made it to the Committee of Experts report a total 47 times between 1995 and 2015 while 36 of these were issues related to the violation of the aforementioned conventions 87 and 98. Meanwhile, 11 violations were due to a violation of Convention 111 on discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

Out of these 47 instances, Turkey was shortlisted 14 times over the past 20 years.

The report also included figures on appeals against Turkey to the ILO’s Committee on Freedom of Association, a supervisory mechanism concerned with union rights enshrined in conventions 87 and 98. The committee operates independently and evaluates cases when there is a complaint.

Accordingly, a total of 38 complaints were filed against Turkey while seven of these cases were still being processed.

In its conclusive remarks, DİSK underlined that Turkey has so far signed and ratified only 31 percent of all ILO conventions and fails to abide by those which are currently in place.

“[Turkey should] end violations of ILO conventions and promptly amend contradicting regulations,” DİSK said, adding the country should take into consideration the criticisms directed by ILO bodies.

The ILO functions as a bridge between governments, employers and workers around the world as the only tripartite United Nations agency. It is tasked with setting labor standards and developing policy recommendations to improve working conditions around the world.