Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek, who attended the 'National Just Transition Strategy and Action Plan Meeting' in Mardin, said, "One of the issues I follow closely is the implementation of the guarantees provided by our laws so that our workers are not victimized. These guarantees are concretely reflected in the trial activities carried out by our courts within the framework of the law. We even receive criticism from employers on this issue, saying 'You are discriminating against the working class' regarding the results of the cases." Minister Gürlek said that they would never consent to the violation of employees' rights.
Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek and Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan attended the 'National Just Transition Strategy and Action Promotion Meeting' held in Mardin. The program, which was held in a meeting room of a hotel, included Mardin Governor Tuncay Akkoyun, Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor Erdal Kuruçay and Judicial Justice Commission Chairman Erhan Çavuşoğlu, Lebanese Labor Minister Mohammad Haidar, Türk-İş Chairman Ergün Atalay, MEMUR-SEN Chairman Ali Yalçın, HAK İŞ Chairman Mahmut Arslan, Türkiye Kamu Sen Chairman Önder Kahveci, Polish Ambassador to Ankara Maciej Przemyslaw. Lang, Ukrainian Ambassador to Ankara Naryman Dzhelialov and guests attended.
Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek, who made the first speech in the program, stated that the government, which adopted reforms as a principle value, expanded union rights and removed obstacles to organization. Minister Gürlek continued his speech as follows:
"You observe closely that public officials have been granted the right to collective bargaining and have put into effect historical regulations in the field of occupational health and safety. The practical equivalent of these regulations is also extremely important to us. As the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Turkey, one of the issues I follow closely is the implementation of the guarantees provided by our laws so that our workers are not victimized. These guarantees are concretely reflected in the judicial activities carried out by our courts within the framework of the law. We even receive criticism from employers regarding the results of the cases on this issue, saying 'You are discriminating against the working class.' Of course, our courts It evaluates each dispute independently and impartially within the framework of its own conditions and legal basis. The regulations that secure the rights of the employees are a clear indication of our President's sensitivity to the working class. Dear union representative friends, we do not even consider making political calculations over the workers and laborers while addressing the problems with our solution-oriented work approach. We do not use our workers and laborers as muscle for our political ambitions. We did not remember and push them forward with chauvinist and heroic slogans. Because we are individuals who experienced these problems and grew up with them. For this reason, we do not see our workers and laborers as figures in the rituals of the rotten ideologies of the age. We devoted ourselves to this goal day and night as a requirement of our understanding of service. We continue to listen to their demands and seek solutions together with their representatives. Because the respect we have for their hard work brings with it the responsibility to protect the rights of that sweat. As the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Turkey, I would like to express that our doors are wide open to our workers and laborers and the organizations that represent them. I would especially like to state that we, as the Ministry, are ready to handle the demands submitted to us within the framework of our duty and authority and to provide services with a solution-oriented approach.
In his speech, Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan stated that one of the most comprehensive transformation processes in world history is taking place and said, "Climate change, digitalization, artificial intelligence and new production technologies are reshaping almost every field, from economies to labor markets, from our daily lives to international competition. While this change offers important opportunities for countries, it also brings new responsibilities and duties. The issue is no longer just about having more advanced technologies, producing cleaner energy or establishing new factories. The real issue is where our people are while all these developments are taking place." "How will the future of our employees be shaped? How will our businesses adapt to this transformation? And most importantly, how will all segments of society benefit from the opportunities that will emerge from this great change?" The National Just Transition Strategy, which we will introduce today, is a comprehensive answer to these questions in line with its own conditions, priorities and development goals.
Stating that people should be put at the center in the transformation process, Minister Işıkhan said, "In our understanding, people are at the center of the transformation. Because we know that a transformation that leaves people behind cannot be truly successful, no matter how advanced technology it is based on. We aim for a transformation that protects our employees while strengthening our production, observes social justice while increasing our competitiveness, and brings economic growth together with society. The 2053 net zero emission target, which we have put forward under the leadership of our esteemed President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, will contribute to the development and employment of our country." We consider it together with our goals. While preparing the future of our country for the world of production and technology in line with our Turkey Century vision, we care that no citizen is left out of this transformation. This understanding also coincides with the deep-rooted values of our civilization. In our culture, nature is a legacy that is left to us. Protecting the rights of labor, supporting the vulnerable and strengthening social solidarity are the basis of our common values. Therefore, a just transition is not just an economic or environmental policy for us. "This strategy introduced today is actually the product of a broad consultation and common sense process. The strategy has been shaped with the contribution of our public institutions, business and employer organizations, academics, private sector and international stakeholders. In the session, we have the opportunity to evaluate the basic approach, priorities and application areas of this strategy in detail," he said.
Minister Işıkhan, who announced the new regulation within the scope of preparation for the professions of the future and strengthening the qualified workforce, stated that pocket money will be increased and continued his speech as follows:
"I would like to share with you an important good news from Mardin. As you know, we have increased the pocket money paid to vocational high school graduates who work in the fields they graduated from, for their participation in on-the-job training programs, by 30 percent. As of 2027, within the scope of our active workforce programs, we are increasing the pocket money paid to our participants who receive training in the fields of green and digital transformation, artificial intelligence and the professions of the future, and to our vocational high school graduates who participate in employment in youth fields. In this way, we will both enable our young people to develop their vocational skills and be stronger for the jobs of the future. "We will support them in their preparations. I hope that this new regulation will be auspicious for our youth, our working life and our country. Today, we share a common future vision that reveals the value Türkiye attaches to labor, production and people in the changing world. I find it extremely meaningful that this vision is announced to the world from Mardin, the city of labor and civilization."
