By Yasser Hassan, ILO Director for Türkiye
Workers in Türkiye and around the world celebrated May 1st, the day of solidarity with workers.
At a time where the world of work facing many challenges including increased unemployment, low level of social protection, gender inequality, gender pay gap, occupational safety, and health as well as profound transformations caused by climate change and digitalization, it is important to recognize the significance of solidarity and the value of social dialogue in combatting all these world of work challenges, as well as to renew our commitment to advance the rights of workers everywhere.
Less than a year ago, in his first report to the 111th Session of the International Labour Conference in June 2023, the Director General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) stated: “We live in times marked by compounding crises. Each crisis reveals longstanding weaknesses in our prevailing systems and policies. Beneath these fault lines lie structural inequalities that with each disruption push millions of people even further behind. The periods of uncertainty that each crisis provokes deter businesses from investing, prevent economies from creating sufficient jobs and leave many workers and their families unsure as to how they will afford the most basic necessities. The perception that something in society is deeply unfair – and the social malaise this invokes – is among the most important causes of social instability today.”
The celebration in Türkiye has come immediately after the conclusion of the 13th Labour Assembly, held in Ankara during 29-30 April 2024 after almost 5 years of its last meeting in 2019. Indeed, the impacts of those five years on the world of work draw an overall picture which requires us to stop, to think and to take actions.
The agenda of the Assembly, centred around the theme “The Labour Life in the Centenary of Turkish Republic: The Future of Labour, Unionisation, and Employment”, received the active participation from experts and academia in addition to representatives of the actors of the world of work: the government, and the workers’ and employers’ organizations.
The minister of labour and social security, Prof. Dr. Vedat Işıkhan, spoke of the human centre approach which guides the government and the critical role played by the social partners to lead the transformations in the world of work, while highlighting at the same time that “it is inevitable to discuss the impacts of changing labour markets and new business models on trade union organization and to develop new models accordingly.”
Presidents of workers and employers’ organizations, public service and public workers unions, as well as the Chambers were actively present. Their inputs to the Assembly were comprehensively rich and frank when talking about the challenges of the world of work and how the way forward should be.
The ILO’ director general addressed the 13th Labour Assembly through a video message in which he congratulated the tripartite constituents of Türkiye for demonstrating a sustained commitment to social dialogue, one of the fundamental values of the ILO.
The ILO was actively present through Beate Andrees, assistant director general and regional director for Europe and Central Asia, Youcef Ghellab, the head of the ILO Social Dialogue Unit, as well as the team of ILO Office for Türkiye. We were keen to reaffirm our commitment to provide the necessary support to the tripartite constituents to resume social dialogue for the realization of decent work and social justice for all in Türkiye.
Over the two days meeting, pertinent issues such as freedom of association and collective bargaining, wages, skills and employability, social security, inflation, training and apprenticeship, the tax regime, occupational safety and health, discrimination, and gender equality were thoroughly debated. A special attention was given to the challenges associated with the dual transformation driven by digitalization and the just transition to the green economy. Divergence of views enriched the debate in the Assembly.
Sound knowledge and strong technical capacities of all partners contributed to shaping consensus on many issues. And unanimity rightly appeared regarding the need for more frequent, inclusive, and effective social dialogue. Traditionally this must be based on strong, independent, and representative workers and employers’ organization in full possession of their right, the availability of institutions underpinning social dialogue, as well as the technical capacity of the partners involved.
At her closing remarks, the assistant director general and regional director for Europe and Central Asia, Beate Andrees, encouraged the partners to always resort to social dialogue “It is the answer. It can resolve the problems facing the world of work. The major transformations that we live through such as digital transition, demographic transition, green transition can be addressed if you have a functioning meaningful mechanism and process of social dialogue”, she said.
ILO reminded the participants at the Assembly that the challenges to social justice at the global level, stemming from overlapping crises, and the increasing rates of working poverty, child labour, youth unemployment, and informal work, all underscore the urgency of addressing inequalities and ensuring decent work.
That’s why we believe that the Global Coalition for Social Justice, the ILO will launch next month at the International Labour Conference in Geneva, can serve as a platform to generate political commitments, investments and concrete actions that support social justice in alignment with national priorities, foster multilateral cooperation and partnerships, and accelerate progress towards the achievement of the SDGs.
The ILO is glad to have Türkiye on board among the partners of this Global Coalition.
As the Assembly demonstrated real commitment and convergence, the ILO Office for Türkiye remains committed to play its role in support of effective social dialogue and social justice for all.
