The Confederation of Trade Unions of Public Employees (KESK) will go on a nation-wide strike on 21 December. This was announced at a press conference held in Ankara on Sunday (4 December). The date was chosen as "the day with the longest period of darkness and the shortest duration of light".

Reasons for the strike

KESK President Lami Özgen and presidents of unions affiliated with KESK attended the press conference. Özgen gave a number of reasons for the strike on 21 December:

* for the layout of a Collective Agreement that legally guarantees our right to strike;

* for stopping the commercialization of public services;

* to provide work security for all members of the permanent staff and giving an end to all kinds of unsecured work;

* for a decent wage and healthy working conditions for all employees and for the democratization of work life;

* to stop forced and compulsory overtime imposed on workers;

* to implement equal pay for equal work by increasing basic salaries;

* for additional payments to be equally reflected in retirement for all workers;

* for increasing the net minimum wage to TL 1000 (€ 500) which is the hunger line and exempt all wages and salaries at that level from tax fees;

* for an end of unlawful, unfair and unjustified detentions and arrests and for the release of the detainees.

Organizations supporting the strike:

Health and Social Service Workers Union (SES); Turkish Association of Medical Radiotechnology (TMRT-DER); Revolutionary Health Workers' Trade Union (Dev Sağlık-İş); Health Services Class Employees Association; Association of Social Services Experts (SHUD); Association of Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists; Association of All Radiology Technicians and Technologists (TÜM RAD-DER); Turkish Association of Dentists (TDB); Turkish Association of Nurses (THD); Turkish Medical Association (TTB); Dieticians Association of Turkey. Members of these organizations are not going to provide service on 21 December. (EKN)