Journalists Take Media Group to Court

Cengiz Erdinç, an editor at Sabah newspaper, and Ozan Pezek and Burak Ersemiz, reporters at the atv channel were dismissed for trade union activities. They are now going to court to claim compensation and to be reinstated.

According to a lawyer of Turkey's Trade Union of Journalists (TGS), the case will open today (17 May). Because they were dismissed in relation to union membership, they will claim at least 12 wages as trade union compensation. They will also demand reemployment.

The journalists had been dismissed without concrete justification and the reason given was "low performance".

Pressure on trade unionists continues

In an interview with bianet, the General President of the TGS, Ercan Ipekçi, emphasised that syndicate activity was discouraged by changing the journalists' place of work or their duties. However, this has not affected union organisation. He said that the trade union's application for authorisation at the atv channel was being audited by the Ministry of Labour. He was sure that the dismissed journalists would be reinstated, since the reason for dismissal was "so clear". The Law on Labour forbids dismissal of personnel based on trade union membership and representation. In addition, the Penal Code stipulates prison sentences for the obstruction of syndicate activities. (TK/AG)