GENERAL STRIKE LOOMS FEBRUARY 4 AS UNIONS RALLY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000174

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR EUR/SE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB AMGT ECON MOPS PGOV TU
SUBJECT: GENERAL STRIKE LOOMS FEBRUARY 4 AS UNIONS RALLY
BEHIND PRIVATIZED TOBACCO WORKERS

REF: 09 ANKARA 1829


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. A deadlock in negotiations between the GOT
and the Turk-Is Labor Confederation, affiliated with former
TEKEL workers (REFTEL),has produced a call for a one-day
work stoppage on February 4. Turk-Is, supported by five
other labor confederations, is confident that the strike will
have a broad impact and is determined to continue its
struggle to get better conditions for the former TEKEL
workers. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) Several Turkish labor confederations have decided to
stop work for one day on Thursday, February 4 from 8 a.m. to
5 p.m. to protest a deadlock in the talks between the
government and Turk-Is Labor Confederation regarding the fate
of former state monopoly (TEKEL) workers. The workers have
been protesting resolutely for 49 days, and the Prime
Minister instructed his ministers to resolve the issue after
meeting in person with the Confederation on January 28.


3. (U) On February 1 Turk-Is Labor Confederation President
Mustafa Kumlu -- who had met with PM Erdogan -- sat down with
State Minister Hayati Yazici, Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek
and Minister of Labor and Social Security Omer Dincer twice
at the Prime Ministry to talk about the former TEKEL workers.
Kumlu listed the demands of the former TEKEL workers. The
ministers took those demands to a cabinet meeting. Then
Kumlu and the ministers met again, after which Kumlu told the
press that the government's proposals would not meet the
workers' demands.


4. (U) According to press reports, the government proposed to
increase the salaries of the former TEKEL workers to between
770 and 940 lira per month within the context of 4C status
(REFTEL); to provide them 22 days of leave without pay; to
provide them something resembling a severance payment; and to
provide employment to workers in public institutions in their
sector including in facilities in neighboring provinces under
4C status. However, the Turk-Is Confederation reportedly
insists that the former TEKEL workers to be transferred to
other institutions working within the context of Labor Law
Number 4857 (which would include job security and other
benefits); and for the workers not to be converted to the
category of "4C" workers.


5. (U) After negotiations broke down, Ministers Yazici,
Simsek and Dincer held a joint press conference. Yazici said
that they had studied the issue from the legal and financial
aspects and concluded that the most fair and correct way to
employ the former TEKEL workers is under 4C. He said: "we
increased their salaries 25-30 percent, and increased their
annual leave to 22 days. We suggested they to be employed at
the public institutions where they are currently assigned to
and at neighboring provinces. They did not accept." Yazici
warned the former TEKEL workers and their families that they
have one month to apply to receive 4C status. Prime Minister
Erdogan, at his party's parliamentary group meeting today,
reiterated Yazici's message and added that the actions of the
former TEKEL workers had gone beyond their initial purpose
and now appeared to an anti-government campaign.


6. (U) After the ministers' announcement, Turk-Is President
Kumlu convened the Presidents of six labor and public
employees confederations including Hak-Is, DISK, Memur-Sen,
KAMU-Sen and KESK to discuss their response. On February 2,
they announced a joint decision for the general strike
February 4. In addition to the work stoppage, the former
TEKEL workers protesting in Ankara will begin a hunger strike.


7. (SBU) Turk-Is Press Spokesperson Sevkutan Nevsuhan told us
that all organized labor, including private sector and public
sector workers will be called to participate in the work
stoppage. She noted that it is not yet known what the rate

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of participation will be, and that the groups will meet on
February 5 to assess the strike and to decide their next
steps. A KESK legal expert also said that they have been
preparing for a work stoppage for the past two weeks, and
their members will participate in every sector where they are
represented. He noted that the anti-democratic practices of
the AKP Government, combined with the pressures and the
suffering of TEKEL workers, have led to a public reaction
against the government. He contended the Government is
hostile to the labor sector because it fears that if it gives
in to the former TEKEL workers, it would set a bad precedent
for future privatizations of public sector institutions. We
also learned from Hak-Is International Relations Officer
Osman Yildiz that Hak-Is has opted to participate in the work
stoppage, but will decide later on the extent of
participation. (Note: Among the confederations, Hak-Is is in
the most difficult position since it is viewed as more
sympathetic to the government. End Note)


8. (SBU) COMMENT. This strike will add to increasing
friction between the government and the organized labor.
While the GOT does not want to concede to the former TEKEL
workers for principally economic reasons, organized labor is
using the recent spate of failed labor negotiations to its
advantage, turning up the volume on its requests for rights
for public sector workers and the workers of privatized
companies. In the prelude to general elections in 2011, the
ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will not welcome
the image that it lacks sufficient sympathy for workers, many
of whom were probably AKP voters. Both sides will continue
testing the limits of their power. In the end, it is likely
the GOT will agree to reform the labor laws to meet some
demands, while the unions and confederations will agree to
some less-than-ideal tradeoffs so that their members can stay
employed.
Jeffrey

"Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.s
gov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turkey"