Turkey's Labor Minister Yasar Okuyan has resigned amidst controversy over a bill aiming to expand the rights of workers in line with European Union (EU) standards, Deputy Prime Minister Sukru Sina Gurela said Wednesday.
Announcing Okuyan's resignation on NTV television, Gurela defended the legislation intended to make it more difficult for employers to sack workers. Although a member of the pro-business Motherland Party, junior partner in Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's three-party government, Okuyan was in favor of the bill, AFP said.
The disputes adds to the woes of the unstable coalition at a time when it is heading towards early elections in November in light of a severe government crisis.
Business groups had earlier placed strong pressure on the government to stop the legislation, expected to be debated in parliament on Thursday, on the grounds that it would increase their difficulties at a time when a severe economic crisis was already plaguing them.
"This is a new arrangement to come closer to EU and International Labor Organization (ILO) criteria" in the labor field, said Gurel, who is also the country’s Foreign Minister. "It is high time for us to align with EU norms in this field as well, and not only with the EU's political criteria," he said, referring to sweeping democracy reforms passed by parliament last week.
The bill enables sacked workers to sue employers and obliges employers to prove that the sacking is not in breach of contract terms. If the court rules in favor of the plaintiff, the employer is obliged to either take the employee back or pay compensation amounting to at least six months' wages.
Moreover, the bill says that union activities by workers, pregnancy, gender, political convictions, ethnic and religious background cannot constitute a reason for ending work contracts. It also makes mass layoffs more difficult.
Turkey's biggest confederation of unions, Turk-Is, denounced efforts by the business community to impede the reform.
"This bill brings no financial burden for employers, not even a penny," Turk-Is head Bayram Meral told reporters. "We expect the parliament to pass this bill and we expect employer circles to give up their pressure against it," he added. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
