Health Workers' Demands and Collective Bargaining Process
Health and social service workers, 8th Term Collective Agreement before the meetings, we are presented with important demands. Bayraklı At the press conference held at the City Hospital, the difficulties faced by healthcare workers and their demands were listed under 13 items. These demands are of great importance in terms of raising the living standards of healthcare workers and establishing a fair wage policy.
The Struggle to Live Below the Poverty Line
Today, health and social service workers, below the poverty line They live a life and this situation leads to a deep economic deadlock. The increase in inflation and the increase in tax burdens cause the wallets of the workers to empty rapidly. The fact that even basic expenses such as rent cannot be met creates great unrest among the health workers. At this stage, the fact that the wages we receive remain at a minimum level disrupts the peace of the workplace and causes humiliation among the workers.
Practices Contrary to International Law
International regulations are accepted as indispensable elements of the right to organize and strike. However, in our country, public workers are forced to make collective agreements without strikes, and this leads to the restriction of union rights. 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international agreements state that union and strike rights must be recognized. However, the disregard for these rights in Türkiye causes workers to face legal restrictions.
Power Imbalance and the Struggle Line
The disruption of the balance of power negatively affects free collective bargaining processes. The public employer board ignores the interests of health workers and this causes serious problems in collective bargaining processes. Authorized partisan unions are inadequate to defend the real interests of workers, which causes harm to public workers. Free collective bargaining and strike rights are becoming a situation that negatively affects working conditions.
Inhumane Working Conditions and Wage Regime
As health workers, we must struggle to change inhumane working conditions and an unfair wage regime. The success of the union movement is directly proportional to the power we have. Therefore, our right to strike and free collective bargaining constitutes the basis of our struggle. The ineffectiveness of pro-government unions prevents us from creating an environment of struggle that protects the rights of workers.
Our Basic Demands
Our demands, which were determined to be conveyed to the collective bargaining table, were developed to meet the needs of healthcare workers. These demands are based on past experiences and survey results. Our main demands are as follows:
- Wage Above Poverty Line: All health workers should be paid a basic wage above the poverty line, which is reflected in retirement.
- Additional Additional Increase: Additional increases that are not reflected in retirement should be reflected to all retirees.
- Free Trade Union Law: A union law with collective bargaining and strikes should be enacted.
- Actual Service Period: Depreciation must be paid in full to all workers.
- Merit Principle: The appointment of administrators should be based on merit and should be determined through elections.
- Duty Fees: Watch, call and overtime wages should be increased.
- Permanent Secured Personnel: Contract workers should be included in the scope of 657 4/a.
- The System That Produces Violence Must Change: The healthcare system must change to prevent violence against healthcare workers.
Conclusion and Struggle Strategy
It is not possible for the collective bargaining system to achieve a result in its current form. We will make an effort to ensure that our demands are met, without giving up our actual and legitimate struggle line, based on past experiences. As health workers, we must be united in this process and raise our voices. Today, we are starting the struggle by taking actions to voice the demands of health workers. We invite all health workers to join this struggle.
