TO ALL MEMBER ORGANISATIONS

 Brussels, 23 November 2016

URGENT ACTION APPEAL -

TURKEY: Request for action and financial solidarity

Dear  Colleagues, 

According to our affiliate EĞITIM-SEN, on 29 October 2016, under the guise of the new emergency decree, another 10,131 public workers, among them 2,219 education personnel, were permanently dismissed from their duties. They included 616 EĞITIM-SEN members, 26 academics and 590 other education staff. The total number of dismissed education personnel that have lost their right to work in the Turkish education sector has reached 38,294. The number of dismissed academics is at 3,613.

Arbitrary dismissals, investigations, persecutions and arrests are taking place throughout the country virtually on a daily basis. An alarming 2,829 education staff, including 25 EĞITIM-SEN members, have been arrested and detained without trial. Legal proceedings have been initiated against 5,247 academics and 1,545 administration staff, in public and private higher education institutions. The number of suspended education employees is constantly changing.

According to EĞITIM-SEN, while suspended and under investigation, education personnel are entitled to unemployment benefits of two thirds of their salaries, while dismissed education employees do not receive any money from the government. 

EĞITIM-SEN provides legal assistance to all dismissed and suspended education employees, regardless of their affiliation to the union. EĞITIM-SEN affiliates affected by the tide of dismissals are financially supported through the solidarity account set up and coordinated by EĞITIM-SEN. Nevertheless, since the number of dismissed education staff members is constantly growing, EĞITIM-SEN recently asked EI/ETUCE to help collect financial support for their affiliates. 

EI/ETUCE hereby urge member organisations to continue demonstrating solidarity with EĞITIM-SEN and the education community in Turkey and to raise awareness of the public about the undemocratic and arbitrary actions of the Turkish authorities. EI/ETUCE are maintaining pressure on the Turkish Government so that it conforms to the rule of law and adheres to fundamental human and trade union rights and freedoms, international labour standards and women’s rights, in order to promote a better future for all Turkish children through quality education for all. We encourage your union to support EĞITIM-SEN’s efforts to provide legal assistance and financial aid to dismissed education personnel and to continue to put pressure on the Turkish Government to fulfil its obligations by undertaking any or all of the following actions: 

1.      Send protest letters to the Turkish government, Turkish embassy in your country and your country’s embassy in Turkey in order to demonstrate that the international education community has not turned a blind eye to the Turkish authorities’ biased, undemocratic and discriminatory actions, and will continue to monitor the situation in the country. 

2.      Organise demonstrations in front of the Embassy of Turkey in your country to raise awareness and promote trade union and human rights.  

3.      Urge your Government to make all necessary efforts to put an end to endless arbitrary dismissals, investigations and arrests of Turkish education staff, and to recall that the Turkish government has committed itself to promoting freedom of expression, free speech and basic human rights and fundamental freedoms.  

4.      Demonstrate financial solidarity with EĞITIM-SEN by making a contribution to the EI Solidarity Fund:      

IBAN: BE05 3101 0061 7075

SWIFT/BIC: BBRUBEBB 

Please indicate “UAA Egitim Sen” in communication. 

Your contribution will ensure that legal assistance to Turkish education personnel in need can be provided sustainably via EĞITIM-SEN.  

EI/ETUCE will continue monitoring developments in Turkey and supporting EĞITIM-SEN in its efforts to preserve human and trade unions rights and fundamental freedoms. Another EI/ETUCE mission to Turkey is envisaged in February 2017. 

We thank you for your solidarity and continued commitment to support and defend the rights and freedoms of our Turkish colleagues.

Yours sincerely,

Fred van Leeuwen

General Secretary

Education International