Kaygısız: Immigrants not given status are a 'blessing' for financiers

  • actual
  • 10:54 23 October 2020
  • |
img

İSTANBUL - Stating that the immigrants not given status are a 'blessing' for the financiers, Union expert İrfan Kaygısız said that the workers from Turkey whose working conditions have changed are angry at the immigrant workers, not the bosses.

The problems of immigrants, who have been working without security for many years, started to appear even more with the immigration that started after the civil war in Syria in 2011. Immigrants coming from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Armenia, Africa and Central Asia, working mainly in factories, workshops under the counter with the addition of more than 5 million Syrians coming to Turkey increased the exploitation in the factories even more. This situation which was in the advantage of the financiers made the working conditions even worse. Immigrant workers who mainly work as seasonal agricultural workers and animal husbandry pulled down the wagers according to the local people. While this situation fueled the racism in Turkey, a lot of Syrian immigrants were attacked in many provinces. A lot of immigrants lost their lives as a result of these attacks.
 
The Collective Bargaining Specialist of the United Metal Workers Union, who conducted research on this issue, İrfan Kaygisiz, evaluated the problems of the migrant workers, the racist attacks they suffered and the reasons for these attacks.
 
'LEGAL WORKERS COST MORE'
 
Stating that the government sees the immigrants 'temporary' and gave them provisional status, Kaygısız said that Turkey only granted citizenship to immigrants coming from Europe, because it made a reservation to Geneva Convention.  Stating that those coming from Europe can get a work permit, Kaygisiz said, "Syrians are not refugees anyway. They have a temporary status in terms of legal status and the regulation on work rights came out too late. There is a heavier procedure for them then any other nation living and working in Turkey. Therefore the procedure is very difficult to follow and registered Syrians are very few. Most of them work unregistered.
 
Underlining that the immigrants are made to work the hardest, dirtiest and most dangerous jobs, Kaygısız told that the Syrian workers are a blessing for the financiers. Emphasizing that the fact that Syrian workers are cheaper is not the only issue, Kaygısız said: "It creates a competition with the local people which causes local people to work for cheaper wages. The bosses makes the local people work for less, stating that the Syrians are working for that. In this regard, the capital is profitable in both ways."
 
Stating that the workers in Turkey thinks that this is immigrants fault, told that this causes an increase in the racist attacks against immigrants. Kaygısız said that instead of directing their anger towards the bosses, the local workers are directing their anger towards the immigrants, saying that they took their livelihood from their hands. This feeling of competition is something experienced in every field. This increases racism and nationalism. As conditions worsen, racism and nationalism increase more. The immigrants are the ones to suffer the consequences of this competition."
 
Noting that the current unions put forward the excuse that immigrants are not insured, Kaygesiz emphasized that this is a formal unionism approach and said: "They have to build another way in order to make them union members. Saying that they can not be members because they don't have insurance is to take the easy way out."
 
Pointing out that in order to solve the migrant worker problem, it must be known that Syrians are also human beings and they have fundamental rights, Kaygısız told that the only way to achieve this is empathy. Emphasizing that it is the trade unions and non-governmental organizations that can achieve this, Kaygısız said: "“But first of all the racism in their inner world must be broken. We are faced with widespread racism and nationalism, including left and democratic circles. That's why there is a need for an internalization process. We have to tell ourselves that all people living in this geography have equal rights. This is not the property of our father and mother. The common values of all humanity is essential. All people must benefit equally from these common values ​​and the blessings of the land they live in."
 
 
MA / Tolga Güney

View More Articles

12:43 Male violence in Kütahya and Istanbul
12:36 OHD applies two ministries: Practices violate right to health must end
12:19 New application to meet to Abdullah Ocalan from lawyers
12:12 Election mission canceled due to victory sign
11:32 Items they buy the canteen confiscated
11:27 No news from Journalist Ahmet for 156 days
11:03 Hunger strike in prisons on its 123rd day
10:56 Relatives of prisoners call for solidarity against lawlessness
10:37 Provocative attacks Ahlat Type T prison
27/03/2024
17:35 She feel unwell in prison and taken to hospital
17:19 10 kolbers were injured in border attacks
13:42 Military operation and blockade in Hezro countryside
13:37 No news from Journalist Ahmet for 155 days
13:35 Hunger strike in prisons on its 122nd day
13:33 ISIS wants to return to pre-2015 position
13:13 Local government in Northern and Eastern Syria
26/03/2024
13:30 Arbitrary disciplinary penalties at Kavak S-Type
12:16 New application to meet to Abdullah Ocalan from lawyers
12:14 No news from Journalist Ahmet for 154 days
12:12 Hunger strike in prisons its 5th month
10:23 Journalist Drewş: KDP is acting as a guard for Turkey
25/03/2024
15:42 Ban on Mount Gabar extended for the 7th time
15:41 75 years Yıldız deteriorate in prison
15:40 Kaval, who beaten in detention, releases
15:09 'Preparation for genocide against Kurds in the shadow of March elections'
14:03 Asrın Law Firm: Imralı Island is kept behind a veil of myster
12:27 Yıldız's son, who was taken to prison on a stretcher: She cannot stay in prison
12:00 No news from Journalist Ahmet for 153 days
11:59 Hunger strike in prisons on its 120th day
10:35 The new issue of Xwebûn is out: Agirê Newrozê li ezman jî vêket
10:34 Police violence in Colemêrg
23/03/2024
11:59 Lawsuit filed against 4 prisoners due to prison news in press
11:19 Hunger strike in prisons on its 118th day
11:18 No news from Journalist Ahmet for 151 days
10:28 Call for unity from Şirnex people against possible attacks
10:14 Family worries about life of 80-year-old ill prisoner
10:09 Drought grows: Solution in ecological agriculture
09:51 ISIS claims responsibility for Moscow attack
22/03/2024
22:20 2 young people arrests in Mêrdîn: Backhandcuff torture at the door of the judgeship and prosecutor's office
21:50 Armed attack on concert hall in Moscow: 14 dead
21:24 Women's film from DEM Party Women's Assembly
21:23 Hatimoğulları visits Senyaşar family in front of Ministry of Justice
21:22 ISIS murdered 2 people
20:53 4 ESP members arrests in Izmir
20:53 Newroz celebrations from Kobanê to Lebanon
14:11 Detained during Newroz releases
14:10 Journalist Ahmet missing for 150 days
12:32 Rising demands from Newroz area
12:03 Hunger strike demand 'freedom for Ocalan' on its 117th day
12:00 Enthusiasm of ‘Good News’ echoed in Amed Newroz