US embassy cable - 03ANKARA1446

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001446 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR EUR/SE (SILVERMAN AND GOELLNER-SWEET), DRL/IL 
(WHITE), LABOR FOR BRUMFIELD 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, ELAB, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKISH LABOR: MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO 
 
 
(U) Classified by Acting Political Counselor Nicholas S. 
Kass.  Reason: 1.5(b)(d) 
 
 
1. (C) Summary:  Turkish labor-related organizations are 
focusing on IPEC and employment termination programs.  In a 
climate where the GOT is seen at the very least as not 
encouraging labor union activity, these organizations are 
working to preserve benefits already available rather than 
initiating or expanding programs.  This lack of dynamism is a 
key feature of labor activity in Turkey.  End summary. 
 
 
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Programs 
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2. (C) Various labor union confederations, an employer 
confederation, a Turkish Ministry of Labor official and a NGO 
official recently highlighted to us their participation in 
IPEC (International Program to Eliminate Child Labor) and 
each implied that it had played a major role in this 
three-year old campaign.  In addition, under the current 
Justice and Development Party (AKP) administration, the 
various labor entities are participating in a committee to 
review regulations regarding employment termination, an 
initiative linked to concerns about privatization of Turkish 
industry. 
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Labor and Politics 
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3. (C) While Turkish labor unions are barred from 
participating in politics, often the more active, influential 
union leaders serve on a variety of government-sponsored 
committees and have informal connections with politicians. 
Uniformly, labor union representatives assert to us that they 
had not promoted particular political candidates during the 
November 3 national election (which AKP won heavily).  At the 
same time, they allow that an informal poll of members 
probably would show that each union's vote would break down 
along the same political lines as the overall electorate. 
(Comment:  If the labor vote followed the national trend, it 
would suggest there is widespread support inside Turkey for 
AKP.  End comment.) 
 
 
-- HAK IS uses social democratic language to describe its 
programs but is in fact the most conservative/Islamic of the 
three major Turkish labor confederations.  Claiming 310,000 
members, Hak Is considers reforming the informal economy one 
of its pressing issues.  Hak Is wants to assure adequate 
compensation for workers and advocates social as well as 
economic objectives.  According to Hak Is representatives, 
while trade unions are theoretically free to advocate a 
variety of ideas, the State authorities often resort to 
generating "obstacles" -- including low level harassment such 
as inducing sound or video system malfunctions at rallies -- 
to undercut ideological messages at odds with Kemalist 
propriety. 
 
 
-- Turk Is, the left of center labor confederation, advocates 
expanding worker rights and believes the potential impact of 
any privatization program will be injurious to Turkish 
workers.  Yildirim Koc is the current advisor to Turk Is's 
president; he was jailed for working closely with the Soviet 
Union during the Communist era.  Koc asserted to us recently 
that the rank and file of Turk Is is strongly antipathetic to 
American initiatives.  Turk Is believes workers will be hurt 
as a result of IMF restructuring programs.  Koc confirms that 
while his organization has 2.5 million members on paper, 
actual membership is closer to 750,000 -- still a sizable 
number compared to Hak Is.  Noting that unions are permitted 
in Turkey, Koc lamented that GOT tactics do not encourage 
labor union organizing. 
 
 
-- Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations (TISK) is a 
voluntary, dues-paying organization supported by 17 employer 
associations, representatives of virtually every major 
industry in Turkey.  TISK participates in the International 
Labor Organization, International Organization of Employers, 
Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe, 
Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD.  Its 
primary objective is to promote the interests of public and 
private employers. 
 
 
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COMMENT 
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4. (C) Like much of Turkey, the labor organizations are in a 
"wait and see" mode.  Rather than embarking on new programs, 
labor organizations as a rule seldom demonstrate a knack for 
innovative approaches to developing problems.  This, together 
with the habitual tendency toward deference of labor and 
other "NGOs" to the State authorities, indicates that the 
labor "movement" in Turkey lacks the dynamism to advance 
"workers'" interests. 
PEARSON