At least 90 workers committed suicide in 2016

Lawmaker Necati Yılmaz, submitted a parliamentary research proposal on the increasing number of occupational suicides as a result of unemployment and severe working conditions
Tuesday, 28 March 2017 07:16

Necati Yılmaz, Republican People's Party (CHP) Ankara deputy, submitted a parliamentary research proposal on the increasing number of occupational suicides as a result of unemployment and severe working conditions. Noting that 1 out of every 4 young people faces unemployment and lack of education, Yılmaz said employment related suicides should be considered occupational murder, and psychological outcomes of unemployment should be researched.

Yılmaz demanded that a research commission should be formed to reveal the impact of vulnerable employment and unemployment on the increasing number of occupational suicides. Yılmaz said "The number of young people committing suicide is on the increase because of unemployment, not being appointed to work and dismissals. In 2016, at least 90 workers committed suicide due to severe work conditions."

THE REAL NUMBER OF THE UNEMPLOYED IS 6.5 MILLION

According to the labour statistics of the Turkish Statistical Institute (TİK), the number of the unemployed for 15 years and older increased 590 thousand people in 2016 and reached up to 3 million and 715 thousand people. The rate of unemployment, on the other hand, reached up to 12.1 by a 1,6 rise.

Yılmaz underlined that the real unemployment rate rises up to 20 percent, and the real number of the unemployed to 6 million and 508 thousand when those that gave up seeking unemployment and the underemployed are taken into account.

A COUNTRY OF UNEMPLOYED GRADUATES

Yılmaz called attention to the increasing number of students at the universities, tripling in the last 10 years, and said that they indicate delayed unemployment.

He noted that in the last 10 years, the number of university students rose up to 7 million from 2 million and Turkey is becoming "a country of unemployed graduates".

THE YOUTH AND WORKERS PERISH

According to the occupational murder report of Workers’ Health and Work Safety Assembly, work hours exceeding 12 hours, severe working conditions, intensive working, work pressure, temporary employment, work stress, low wages, unpaid overtime work and performance system severely threaten the lives of the workers.

Yılmaz remarked that in 2013 at least 15 workers; in 2014 25 workers; in 2015 59 workers; and in 2016 at least 90 workers committed occupational suicide in their workplaces. He added that 8 unemployed young people, including the graduates of faculty of education not appointed to work, committed suicide since the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power.

Yılmaz noted that since the ruling Justice and Development Party is unwilling to implement policies to fight unemployment, the youth and the workers perish. The workers had been ripped off the right of 8-hour workday and freedom of association under the rule of the Justice and Development Party, Yılmaz said and added their lives had been turned into misery with precarious work. "As a result of the precarious work policies that have been standardised under the rule of the Justice and Development Party, most of the graduates of the faculty of education were not appointed to work and the education system has been systematically commodified", Yılmaz said. There are numerous occupational suicides including different sectors like bank workers, security staff, construction workers and farmers.

A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DESPERATE SITUATION

- In Sakarya province of Turkey, a 48 years old coach driver, father of two, shut himself to death because of his financial problems.

- In Kilis province, a 16 years old child worker hang himself in the auto upholsterer workshop he used to work.

- Mehmet Fatih Tıraş, a 34 years old research assistant at Çukurova University committed suicide after he was dismissed from the university with a statutory decree. He was one of the signatories of Academics for Peace.

- Derya Koşca, a 30 years old hostess living in Antalya province, hang herself because of unemployment.

- Mehmet Güngören, a 30 years old employee at a shopping mall, hang himself after he was fired.

- Kerem Bicici, a 33 years old mine worker in Soma district, a father of three, hang himself.