European Trade Union Committee for Education

Today on 22 November 2017, the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament organises a public hearing in Brussels, together with the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). Speakers are Luca Visentini, ETUC General Secretary, Susan Flocken, ETUCE European Director, Ramazan Gurbuz, KESK General Secretary (Confederation of Public Employees’ Trade Unions), Remzi Çaliskan, President of Genel-is (Public Services Employees Union of Disk) and Annie van Wezel, Senior policy adviser international affairs at the FNV (Dutch TUC), co-chair of EU-Turkey Joint Consultative Committee of the EESC.

With this high-profile event the European trade union movement wishes to focus public attention on the trade union rights scrutiny in Turkey.

Representing the European education trade union movement and on behalf of 11 million teachers and other education personnel across Europe, Susan Flocken, European Director said: “The public sector, notably the education sector has come under serious and continuous attacks and repressions. The Turkish authorities are radically attempting to prevent education trade unionists from exercising their rights and undermining their activities.

These developments remind us about our strong commitment to [...] “continue to press national governments to put more pressure on the Turkish government, support our colleagues and engage in actions aimed at defending quality education in Turkey [...]”. This is a strong signal in our continuous support for our colleagues in Turkey”.

In the lead-up to the hearing, the European Director invited Sakine Esen Yılmaz, former Egitim Sen General Secretary, to share a concrete testimony based on her experience.

Learn more about the event from ETUC leaflet “Violations Of Trade Union Rights In Turkey Under The State Of Emergency: Europe Has To Act”.