Sputnik employees will go on strike

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With no agreement reached in the collective agreement negotiations, the Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) will go on strike in Russia-owned Rossiya Segodnya (Sputnik) International News Agency .

The strike decision was hanged in front of the company headquarters today (July 24) in Taksim, İstanbul. 

Sputnik employees and TGS held a demonstration and spoke to the press briefly in front of the Süzer Plaza in Taksim where the Sputnik office is located. 

TGS President Gökhan Durmuş who spoke here drew attention to the date when the strike decision was taken. July 24 is the day in Turkey when censorship was lifted, back in 1908. 

"We should be talking about violations of press freedom on such a date, but unfortunately we are talking about the employers who violate the most basic rights of their employees and overlook the laws in Turkey," Durmuş said. 

He underlined that there was a heavy economic crisis in Turkey and added, "The days are over we were only able to get on until the midmonth. Now we are not even able to discharge our debts in the beginning of the month when we receive our salary. The doors are shut in our face when we demand a decent salary, and we are threatened with lay-off."

Threatened with lay-offs

They have held nine collective negotiation meetings with the employer, informed Durmuş but said they were not able to say what amount of pay increase was proposed. The reason is that Sputnik employer chose to pressure the employees instead of reaching an agreement and announced that they would dismiss 20 employees. 

There was pressure on the employees so that they would resign from union membership. 

Durmuş stated that the Sputnik employer is violating articles 51, 52 and 53 of the Constitution.  He invited the employer to respond to the demands of the employers who have been working for the agency for many years. 

The implementation of the strike will start without delay, said the TGS president if they are not able reach an agreement. 

(HA/PE)