News

UNI Youth, has added its voice to other members of the international community calling on Prime Minister Erdogan to end the violence against his people which continues to escalate.

Today Turkish unions have called for a general strike to protest at the police crackdown which has seen thousands injured and a number of people dead.

UNI Europa Youth President Lee Fishwick delivered the protest letter to the Turkish Ambassador, in Portugal where UNI Youth is currently holding a meeting of leading affiliates.

Fishwick said, "We the representatives of the young working people in Europe advice the political leadership of Turkey today to take responsibility for all of its people and stop the violence against the peaceful protestors in Taksim Square, Gezi Park and anywhere else in Turkey."

See full text below:

To:
Ebru Baratçu Gökdenizler
Turkish Ambassador in Portugal
and th Government of Turkey

Turkey has to put a stop to the attacks on peaceful protesters and the undermining of democracy!

Two days ago the Turkish police once again used brutal violence against their own people. We, young trade unionists of Europe are concerned, sad and outraged about these attacks on human rights and the repressing of freedom of speech. The right to strike and demonstrate is a core value of modern democracy and has to be protected at all costs. UNI Europa Youth wants therefore to show our deepest solidarity with our Turkish friends, that right now are the frontline in the fight for democracy, demonstrations, protests and the general strike demand that the Turkish government brings the violence to an immediate end.

A lot has to be done regarding human and union rights in Turkey. For a start the laws have to be changed to protect workers that want to join a union to get better working conditions and decent salaries and to stop employers that indulge in union busting. We therefore encourage the Turkish government to gather all democratic forces to sit down and come to an agreement about how to solve the issues in a peaceful and democratic way.

We the representatives of the young working people in Europe advice the political leadership of Turkey today to take responsibility for all of its people and stop the violence against the peaceful protestors in Taksim Square, Gezi Park and anywhere else in Turkey.

UNI Europa Youth
Steering group

Lee Fishwick
President