Lehrergewerkschaft verboten

Mit 45 zu 6 Stimmen bestätigte am 25.Mai 2005 das Appellationsgericht das Verbot der Lehrergewerkschaft Egitim-Sen, an ihrer Stelle soll künftig eine "Turk Egitim-Sen" berechtigt sein, Verhandlungen für die LehrerInnen zu führen. Egitim-Sen ist eine der grossen Vereinigungen in der KESK, der Föderation für den öffentlichen Dienst und wurde verboten wegen des Passus im Statut, der besagt, dass die Gewerkschaft für das Recht auf muttersprachlichen Unterricht eintritt. Dass die rechtlichen Mittel nahezu ausgeschöpft sind (es bleibt noch die EU) heisst erst recht, dass der weitere Kampf das Schicksal entscheiden werde - so heisst es im Bulletin Nr 92 der Türkischen Kommunistischen Partei, in dem auch kritisch die Reaktion der übrigen Gewerkschaften betrachtet wird. Der (englische) TKP Bericht "Egitim-Sen is banned" aus dem Bulletin vom 30.Mai 2005.

Egitim-Sen Is Banned

Egitim-Sen, the trade union of teachers and academicians, which is the largest trade union of the most massive workers' organization in Turkey, the Confederation of Public Workers' Union (KESK), was banned. While the ban of Egitim-Sen signifies the peak point of the assault against the working class in Turkey, it certainly won't hinder teachers and academicians to continue with their struggle for their rights.

In the case of Egitim-Sen, which was accused of "defending education in native language" in its statute, the Court of Appeal voted on banning the trade union with a majority of 45 to 6 votes on May 25. Although Egitim-Sen has the right of requesting the revision of the decision, it is expected that the Court of Appeal will reject this demand.

The banning of Egitim-Sen is a peak point of the rising wave of assaults against the working class in Turkey. Egitim-Sen is one of the largest workers' institutions of our country and the largest trade union within the KESK.

Nobody should doubt that this assault won't be able to crush decades long experience of struggle and organization of teachers and academicians. The tradition of organization from TOS to TOB-DER will find a way out and this assault will be defeated.

On the other hand, everybody should draw lessons from the negative impact of this assault. The hegemonic trade union mentality in Turkey is leaving the segment of the class, which is subject to an assault, alone with its "own" problem. The trade union movement is far from understanding the full picture of the class struggle. In the process of the banning of Egitim-Sen, even the whole power of KESK wasn't mobilized. It is a nice summary of the problem, that the organization of protest actions against the ban rested on SMS messages rather than organized power.

Now, since there is nothing more to do within the judicial system in Turkey, Egitim-Sen is going to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). In this case, there might be no problem with appealing to the ECHR. But after a point, the decision of the international court won't matter. What matters and sheds light to the future is to what extent the means of class struggle were made use of.

It is not possible to answer this question as positive. It is possibility that the ban will be prevented by law in the upcoming period. But can such a positive decision stop the decline in the organization of teachers? How is it going to affect Egitim-Sen that the fascist yellow union"Turk Egitim-Sen" will be granted the right for bargaining?

These are the questions to be asked today. Enlightening answers to these questions can only be produced in the new period of struggle, in which the teachers and academicians will gain the consciousness of being part of the working class. In any case, the path of the teachers and working class of Turkey is open. In this sense, the ban of Egitim-Sen will fail.

After the declaration of the decision, Egitim-Sen protested the ban in various cities. In Ankara, members of the Communist Party of Turkey attended the demonstration with their red flags and with a banner with the slogan "AKP, the collaborator, is the enemy of workers". TKP members gathered in front of the Ankara Branch office of the party and marched to the Yuksel Street to meet the protesting teachers. Later on, demonstrators marched to the Kizilay Square, chanting slogans against the AKP government and in support of the fraternity of Turkish and Kurdish people. At the sit-in action in Kizilay, Alaaddin Dincer, President of Egitim-Sen, held a speech, in which he rejected the decision of the Court of Appeal, and declared that they will go on with their judicial and organizational actions. Dincer also added that they will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights and make the state to pay compensation. After the demonstration, TKP members marched back to the Ankara Branch office of the party. In Istanbul, members of Egitim-Sen gathered at the Gezi Park on Taksim Square. At the demonstration, which was also attended by TKP members, a press declaration was red out, which promised the continuation of the struggle.