EMEP Leader Aslan Calls for Action on 'Workplace Murders': 'We Can Prevent Them Together'

From the offices of Cumhuriyet, we report on the ongoing crisis of workplace deaths in Turkey. EMEP leader Seyit Aslan has issued a stark warning, highlighting the government's inaction and the systemic failures that lead to tragic losses of life. Aslan points to the "palace regime" as the root cause, arguing that under its governance, "workplace murders" occur daily. He cites the recent deaths of nine workers, including a child, on May Day as a grim testament to these failures.

“

The palace regime" nedeniyle her gün yeni bir "iş cinayeti" olduğunu ileri süren Aslan, 1 Mayıs Emek ve Dayanışma Günü'nde 1’i çocuk 9 işçinin çalışırken hayatını kaybettiğini ifade etti.

The EMEP leader further elaborates on the findings of the İSG MECLİSİ reports, which indicate a rise in fatal accidents due to worsening working conditions and policies that suppress unionization. Aslan contends that the current İş Sağlığı ve Güvenliği (İSG) Law has, in practice, led to an increase in workplace deaths. He criticizes the privatization of oversight to İSG companies, where inspection reports are essentially bought, creating a system of "collusion."

“

Patronlar açısından suç delillerini karartma, eksiklikleri ve kuralsız çalıştırmayı perdeleme anlamına gelen bu genelge yeni işçi katliamlarına davetiye çıkarmaktadır.

A particularly alarming directive from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, requiring inspectors to notify employers at least 15 days in advance of inspections in "highly dangerous" workplaces like mines and construction sites, is singled out. Aslan argues this directive facilitates the "destruction of evidence of crimes" and masks unsafe practices, directly inviting further worker deaths. The inadequacy of inspections, with less than 1% of workplaces ever being checked, and the dwindling budget for these inspections, especially during election periods, further exacerbate the problem.

“

İş cinayetleri davalarında bugüne kadar sürdürülen yargılama pratiği dikkate alındığında, cinayetlerin asıl sorumlusu patronların ya hiç yargılanmadığı ya da ödül sayılacak göstermelik cezalarla dosyaların kapatıldığı; ilgili fabrika, atölye ve çalışma alanlarının denetiminden sorumlu kamu görevlilerinin ise neredeyse hakim yüzü dahi görmediği görülmektedir.

The judicial process following workplace fatalities is also under scrutiny. Aslan laments that perpetrators are rarely brought to justice, or receive negligible penalties, while public officials responsible for oversight are seldom held accountable. The case of the factory fire in Dilovası, where despite ministerial promises, no public officials were included in the investigation, serves as a recent, stark example of this systemic failure to ensure accountability. Cumhuriyet stands with the workers, demanding justice and systemic change to prevent these preventable tragedies.

“

Sorumlu olanların tespit edilmesi ve hesap vermesi için ne gerekiyorsa yapıyoruz