Thousands of public sector workers in Turkey have launched a two-day strike in support of the anti-government demonstrations which have engulfed the country.
Turkey’s Confederation of Public Workers’ Unions (KESK) had originally planned to go on strike tomorrow to protest against upcoming changes to public sector workers’ legislation.
But it decided to move the date forward by a day in response to the demonstrations which began last Friday in Istanbul’s Taksim Square and have mobilised tens of thousands of people in 67 cities across the country to voice their frustrations with the government.
And following a call for solidarity from KESK, the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK) – one of three confederations representing private sector workers in Turkey– has also called a strike for Wednesday at 13.00.
Criticism
KESK has some 240,000 members in 11 unions, but most are teachers.
With so many students already out protesting, the schools have been on a proxy strike for several days.
KESK has criticised the heavy-handed police response towards protesters; in several cases, demonstrators have lost their eyesight after being hit by plastic bullets and tear gas canisters fired at close range by riot police.
"The state terror implemented against entirely peaceful protests is continuing in a way that threatens civilians’ life safety," KESK said on Monday in a statement on its website.
KESK also described Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s response as demonstrative of his "enmity to democracy".
In a statement, KESK General Secretary İsmail Hakkı Tombul said that public servants would wear black ribbons and clothing to mark the 48-hour work stoppage which commenced at 12.00 midday on Tuesday.
The Turkish Medical Association (TTB), the Turkish Engineers Association and the Turkish Architects Associations are yet to announce whether they will take strike action.
Roots of the unrest
The nationwide unrest began after bulldozers were sent to dig up trees in Istanbul’s Gezi Park to prepare for the construction of a shopping centre.
But following a violent police crackdown, the protests quickly turned into a push back against Erdogan’s decade-long rule which has become increasingly authoritarian, according to opponents.
Critics see moves such as recent restrictions on the sale of alcohol and legislation last year which allowed children to enter Islamic schools at a younger age as proof of his agenda to “Islamicise” the secular state.
At least two people, both men, have died in the demonstrations, scores have been seriously injured and more than 1600 people have been arrested.
On Tuesday, Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç apologised to those demonstrators injured in the clashes, and promise to meet with the organisers of the original Gezi Park protests.
However, he also added that the government expects “all unions, political parties and everyone who loves and cares about Turkey” to end the demonstrations immediately.
