Last weekend, trade unionists from all over the world responded to an international trade union call for solidarity with those repressed by riot police in Turkey. Globally, communities and unions came together to call for the rights of the protestors to be respected by police and politicians alike.
The answer was a global show of solidarity, with actions taking place worldwide. In the Philippines, ITF- and International Union of Food Workers (IUF)-affiliated unions rallied outside the Turkish embassy in Manila on June 21. In Australia, Sydney was the site of major protests. In London, members of the ITF, British trade unions and the Turkish community gathered in peaceful protest outside the Turkish embassy to deliver a letter to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, demanding he take urgent action over the recent brutality. Further demonstrations and expressions of support were staged in Belgium, Japan, India, Germany, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, The Netherlands, the USA, Ukraine, and beyond.
Coinciding with the actions the Global Unions – which includes organisations such as the ITF, IUF and ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation) –strongly condemned Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s actions. In a statement they unreservedly backed the actions.
To see what happened at the London protest, take a look at the ITF YouTube channel and watch this report