Turkey has worst record of unionized worker dismissals - report

Hurriyet Daily News with wires

The International Trade Union Confederation, or ITUC, reported 7,500 cases of the dismissal of workers involved in trade union activity in 68 countries around the world.

"These cases are, however, only the tip of the iceberg," the ITUC report said.

"The country with the worst record of dismissals was Turkey, where more than 2,000" cases were documented, it said. The next to come are Indonesia, Malawi, Pakistan, Tanzania and Argentina.

More than 200 trade unionists worldwide were killed, assaulted or threatened in 2008 for trying to defend workers rights, the report added.

The annual death toll has declined - from 91 in 2007, and 144 in 2006 - but the ITUC report said many governments violate workers rights and in several cases "were themselves responsible for heavy repression of these rights."

The ITUC said that Colombia was again the deadliest country for rights activists, with 49 killed in the South American nation last year, up from 39 in 2007 but down from 78 in 2006.

The ITUC comprises 312 national labor unions from 157 countries.

Its 2008 annual report said several dozen nations used death threats or assaults against unionists. Nine countries - Turkey, China, Iran, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Burma, Cuba, South Korea and Indonesia - imprisoned people for legitimate union activity, it said.

The report also highlighted that the recession has led some governments to crack down on workers demanding higher wages to cope with the recession and high food prices.