104 Workers Killed on the Job in June

According to a report released by Worker Health and Work Security Assembly, at least 104 workers were killed from work-related injuries in June. 

The report’s data has been collected from various media resources as well as information from labor-profession organizations. The data for June 2013 unfolded as follows: 

* 54 workers died in the following sectors: Construction (21), seasonal agriculture (20), municipality (13). 

* 11 female, 93 male workers died on the job. 

5 child workers died on the job including 1 at the age of 14. 

* 7 workers died at a facility of Tepe-Akfen Water and Sewerage Co. in Güllük district of Milas in the southwestern province of Manisa due to lack of worker health and security measures. 

Dangerous workplaces

The report cited at least 11,000 workers who died on the job in the past 10 years. It also put an emphasis on a recently approved omnibus bill: 

“The omnibus bill postponed some of the implementations of Law 6331 on Work Health and Security. 

“The omnibus bill postponed employers’ requirements to hire a work security expert to July 2016 for “less dangerous” category workplaces and to July 2014 for “dangerous” and “very dangerous” category workplaces. 

“Briefly, attacks and injustice continue in every aspect of our lives.”

“Month of resistance”

Referring June 2013 as “month of resistance”, the report said fundamental living right demands were confronted with violence and attacks last month - a process that still maintained.  

“Ethem Sarısülük, Abdullah Cömert and Mehmet Ayvalıtaş were killed due to the attacks during this process.

“İrfan Tuna, a cleaning staff at a cram school died of hearth attack due to gas bombs.

“Abdullah Sarı, police officer, died during the protests after falling off a sidewalk. 

“11 people lost eyesight, 1 lost spleen. 60 people were gravely injured with 2 in critical condition. 103 people suffered from head trauma. 

“In sum, 8041 were injured.” (YY/BM)