The Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions in Turkey (DISK) has initiated “Köleliğe Karşı #Direnİşçi” (Workers resist against slavery) actions in protest against the AKP government's planning for the abolishment of the severance pay.

The government has recently restarted to mention the abolishment of the severance pay after leaving the subject off the agenda in the face of strong response by unions in the last two years.

DISK Secretary General Arzu Çerkezoğlu pointed out that workers will be taking to the streets across Turkey as of this week to display their objection to the government's planning which -she said- would condemn millions of workers to work like slaves.

Çerkezoğlu, remarking that “Köleliğe Karşı #Direnİşçi” actions have been promoted to prevent the violation of workers' attained right, the severance pay, which she said was a part of the policies of the AKP government that has led to a remarkable  increase in the sub contract labour system, the lack of job security and the repression of workers' union rights and freedom.

Çerkezoğlu called attention to the rates of the unemployment and illicit work in the country and reminded that only 5 percent of the workers in Turkey could enjoy their union rights, and that even official figures show that 41 percent of the work labor in the country is made up of illicit workers. She noted that the unemployment rate was actually around 16-17 percent.

According to Çerkezoğlu, the government planned to abolish the severance pay in order to transfer this amount to the country fund it intended to form.

Çerkezoğlu noted that they have started their protest with press statements they issued in Ankara and Istanbul, and would be taking to the streets throughout the country within this week, with an aim to voice their demands and to join the struggle of labor forces in the country.