As the first anniversary of the call made on 27 February in Turkey approaches, the Kurdish people once again demonstrated their insistence on peace by filling Newroz areas. In this process, attention has now turned to the peoples of Turkey and to the institutions and parties that struggle on their behalf.
Following Abdullah Öcalan’s identification of women as the driving force of the new process and his call for them to assume a leading role, focus has shifted to women in Turkey and those who represent them.
Derya Ulu, General Education Secretary of the Revolutionary Construction Workers Union (Dev-Yapı-Is), spoke to ANF about the experiences of women workers in Turkey and their perspective on the new process.
Women workers trapped in poverty and precarity
Derya Ulu said that women workers are trying to sustain their lives under the grip of precarious work and deepening poverty, and stated: “In Turkey, first of all, women are not able to take sufficient part in working life. In situations such as economic crises, the pandemic, earthquakes and wars, we see that women are among the most vulnerable groups and are the most affected. Various statistics reveal this. They are the ones most frequently dismissed, whose wages fall the most, who face housing problems, and who experience all forms of violence most intensely.
Starting from this general picture, if we ask ‘what are women experiencing today under current working conditions?’, the most serious problems are as follows: rapid precarization of jobs, the decline in our wages, impoverishment, lack of access to healthcare and education, retirement becoming a distant dream, and being trapped between work and home, including the burden of care in the household.
While all workers face these negative conditions, they increase many times over for women. We see that women predominantly work in jobs that are a continuation of the care roles assigned to them within the family, such as education, healthcare, cleaning and sales representation. Even though more educated women may be employed in more qualified positions, in almost all cases they face the growing precarization of work, the constant fear of losing their jobs and being unable to find new ones, unemployment, the resulting low wages leading to impoverishment, the deterioration or inaccessibility of healthcare and education, and the burden of childcare and care work imposed on them outside of their jobs, which pushes them out of working life. These are serious and layered problems.
It is no longer enough for a single person to work to sustain a household. Even two incomes are insufficient under current wage conditions. There is a rapid impoverishment among workers in general and among women workers in particular.”
They want peace but are not clear on rights for others
Derya Ulu drew attention to divisions among women workers regarding the ongoing new process, noting that while war is not desired, the impact of long-standing militarist propaganda is still evident. Ulu said: “As in every segment of Turkey, unfortunately there is not a single perspective among women workers either. No woman wants war. Unjust wars mean the death of their children, poverty and violence. Women suffer the most; history has shown this time and again.
On the other hand, there is also a strong chauvinist and militarist propaganda. The effect of nationalist, religious, reactionary and chauvinist propaganda that has been injected into society for years is also felt among women workers. Although in general no one wants war, I do not think there is the same clarity when it comes to granting rights to those who are seen as different. More effort is needed to break this reactionary influence in society.
Unfortunately, the approach of imposing conformity on migrants, minorities, women and children has not been overcome among women workers either. However, from a human perspective, women who are victims of war and violence carry a stronger opposition to war and violence compared to the rest of society.”
Women workers want to believe in change
Derya Ulu said that there is also a visible division in how women workers view the struggle for peace. Ulu also said: “The ethnic identity, religious or sectarian background, political stance and level of organization of women workers are determining factors.
For women workers coming from segments that have been oppressed, subjected to pressure and violence in Turkey due to their Kurdish, Alevi, Armenian and other identities, it can be relatively easier to become part of the struggle. We can say that Kurdish women workers are a more active part of it. However, even among these groups there is a problem of trust. I think they experience a lack of trust in whether peace, real peace, can be achieved with a power that has approached them for years with oppression, pressure and violence. I am referring to a force that has, in different periods of history, repeatedly turned the rest of society against them. I do not think there is unconditional and full trust on this issue.
Still, thanks to the trust they have in the segments with whom they have struggled and been oppressed together for years, they want to believe in ‘change.’ I think women become part of this process through the confidence they have in their struggle, even if they have questions.
Women workers outside these groups, who are under the influence of current state propaganda, also want the process to reach a conclusion. However, I do not think they fully know what they want. They say, ‘let the war end, let there be peace.’ But they are not in a position to lead the struggle or take on responsibility for the continuation of the process. On the contrary, they are in a position where they can easily be influenced by state propaganda.
While a process is unfolding, nothing is being done to reverse the nationalist and chauvinist propaganda that has been instilled in society for years. I think breaking the chauvinist influence on this segment is a primary necessity. In other words, unfortunately, not all women workers are ready.”
Working class must confront what Kurdish workers face
Derya Ulu said that the working class in Turkey must confront what has been experienced, particularly by the Kurdish people and Kurdish workers. Ulu added: “Workers have to confront this issue. Male workers and women workers alike have to confront it. Why? Because religion and ethnic identity have for years been the most useful tools used to divide workers and to render their organized power ineffective.
Trade unions have been fragmented and weakened under this hysteria. Unions that have no relation to class struggle have been strengthened through religious and nationalist discourse. Lack of organization is widespread. Workers cannot act together; religious and nationalist divisions are inserted between them. The burden of wars is placed on workers. Poverty and taxes are on the backs of workers.
When we try to build relations with workers in the field, when we carry out organizing efforts, this is the issue that repeatedly blocks our way. We cannot talk to workers about their wages, poverty or exploitation. Because there is a more urgent problem: people are dying.”
Workers must learn solidarity and act together
Derya Ulu stated that the solution to the Kurdish question and other social issues can be achieved among workers and said: “If the real solution to the Kurdish question and other minority and religious issues comes from workers, it will be effective. In construction sites and workplaces, women and men, Turks and Kurds, Alevis and Sunnis, migrants and locals all work under the same conditions, experience the same poverty and live in the same neighborhoods. Experiencing poverty and precarity together but being unable to act together is a serious problem that we must overcome.
For workers to advance the class’s struggle, they must truly see how what is taken from them is handed over to capital and raise their struggle against it; they must also become the most effective force in solving this issue. A real solution and peace can be achieved with the participation and consent of broad masses of workers and laborers. Workers must learn to build solidarity and to act together. This is a responsibility that women and men workers engaged in class-oriented trade unionism, like us, seek to carry on our shoulders.”
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