Reaction from expert Diyanet-Sen to the 5 percent threshold: 'Union representation should be determined by the will of the workers'

Expert Diyanet-Sen Chairman Ramazan Çelik published a written statement regarding the 5 percent threshold discussions, which will directly affect the union rights and representation power of public servants.

Çelik stated that union representation should be determined by the will of the employees, not by thresholds.

'THE STRENGTH OF THE UNION CANNOT BE MEASURED BY NUMBERS'

Çelik stated that if the regulation is implemented, membership fees will not be transferred to unions below the threshold.

Çelik emphasized that this situation would harm the right to free association; "The power of a union is not measured by the numbers put in front of it, but by the trust and struggle of its members and the value it adds to the life of the worker. Our objection is to regulations that may weaken the preferences of employees and the existence of different union voices by tying union representation to certain rates. The existence of different views and different union understandings strengthens the right of choice of public employees."

'DAMS ARE ILLEGAL'

Çelik reminded that the 1 percent and 2 percent thresholds introduced in the past were annulled by the Council of State and the Constitutional Court.

Stating that it is against the law to bring the 5 percent threshold back to the agenda despite judicial decisions, Çelik said, "Union rights guaranteed by Article 51 of the Constitution cannot be limited according to the size of any union. Justice should be for everyone, not just for the elders."

'THE SUGGESTION SHOULD BE RE-EVALUATED'

Emphasizing that union competition should be carried out with the labor in the field, not with administrative thresholds, Çelik called: "The 5 percent threshold proposal should be re-evaluated in all its aspects. Any approach that does not take into consideration the will of the employees and the principle of fair representation cannot be justified just by a rate. Unionism is not a race to reduce competitors with thresholds; it is the responsibility of winning the heart, trust and support of the employee."