In Turkey, Kurdish workers continue to make up the most oppressed and marginalized section of the working class. Many trade unions and labor organizations have failed to develop lasting solutions to the realities faced by Kurdish workers. While they are exploited as workers, the racist oppression they face for being Kurdish deepens that exploitation even further.
Revolutionary Construction, Building and Road Workers Union General Secretary Nihat Demir spoke to ANF News about the conditions faced by Kurdish workers in Turkey and their demands.
Kurdish workers among the most precarious in Turkey’s working class
Nihat Demir said Kurdish workers make up one of the most vulnerable and insecure sections of Turkey’s working class and continued: “The working and living conditions of Kurdish workers constitute one of the most fragile and precarious segments of the working class in Turkey. Due to long-standing structural inequalities and regional economic imbalances, Kurdish workers have often been forced into a cycle of internal migration. Having to go wherever there is work, these workers are concentrated particularly in construction, agriculture and temporary labor sectors.
One of the main problems encountered in this process is insecurity. Unregistered or underinsured employment, underpayment or outright theft of wages, and the denial of fundamental legal rights such as severance pay and notice compensation are all widespread. This situation becomes even harsher for workers coming from outside the cities. Daily wages agreed over the phone being lowered once workers arrive at the job site, and conditions imposed by exploiting workers’ desperation being forced on them, have become a systematic form of exploitation.
Alongside this, workers face not only economic but also social and cultural pressure in the workplace. Kurdish workers can be subjected to discrimination, exclusion and at times open violence because of their language, identity and culture. This creates not only labor exploitation, but also a working environment that undermines human dignity.”
Peace is the most fundamental issue for Kurdish workers
Demir said Kurdish workers’ demands are not limited to economic improvements and that they also face problems rooted in conflict, stressing that the most fundamental demand is peace. He said: “Kurdish workers’ demands are not confined solely to economic improvements. Of course, secure jobs, fair wages, trade union rights and humane working conditions are among the core demands. But beyond this, there is a much deeper and historical dimension.
One of the most fundamental issues for Kurdish workers is peace. Conflict-ridden processes that have led to families being torn apart, arrests and exile directly affect workers’ lives. While workers struggle with exile and the fight to make a living, they also endure an intensified longing for their families and loved ones.
At the same time, freedom of identity, language and culture is among the basic demands. Kurdish workers seek a life in which they can speak their own language, live their culture, listen to their music and dance halay freely. They want a system in which they are not subjected to pressure because of their identity, whether in the workplace, in the street or in social life.
Political freedom of expression is also an important demand. Like all workers, Kurdish workers want to be able to express their views, political choices and their attachment to people they value freely. In short, the demands are clear: equal citizenship, democratic rights, cultural freedom and lasting peace.”
May Day is a space of visibility and solidarity for Kurdish workers
Demir said the approaching International Workers’ Day is not only a workers’ holiday for Kurdish workers, but also a matter of visibility. He said: “For Kurdish workers, May Day is not only a workers’ holiday; it is also a space of struggle, solidarity and visibility. Beyond raising a voice against the exploitation of labor, it is an important historical moment in which suppressed demands are collectively expressed.
May Day is seen as a ground where demands for peace, freedom and equality take concrete form. Workers view this space as a field of struggle where they voice both their economic rights and their demands for identity and freedom. In this sense, May Day is not merely a celebration, but also an expression of organization and resistance.
For Kurdish workers, May Day carries a meaning similar to mass gatherings with a strong social memory; it is seen as a space where solidarity, resistance and collective will become visible.”
Kurdish workers’ struggles are part of a shared class struggle
Demir said the problems faced by Kurdish workers are part of a broader struggle and concluded: “What is clear today is this: the unity of the working class cannot be separated from the struggle for equality and freedom. The problems faced by Kurdish workers are part of the common struggle of the entire working class. For this reason, International Workers’ Day is not only a day for economic demands, but also a shared day of struggle in defense of peace, democratic rights and a dignified life.
Our call to all workers and laborers is this: Let us stand shoulder to shoulder this May Day for a life in which labor is not exploited, identities are not suppressed, and peace and freedom prevail. Let us turn the squares into not only spaces of celebration, but grounds of strong collective will and solidarity. Let us expand our demands for equality, justice and freedom together.
Let us turn May Day into a field of struggle raised by the voice of peace and freedom, where labor and solidarity take their strongest form.”
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