GENEVA - Labor and Social Security Minister Murat Basesgioglu said on Thursday, ''unemployment is one of the urgent problems of Turkey like other countries due to economic crises with the influence of globalization.''
Addressing the 91st working conference of the International Labor Organization (ILO), Basesgioglu said, ''concrete contributions of ILO's fight against poverty have an important place in efforts to remove inequalities in today's world. Principles taking place in ILO's agenda make important contributions to provide social justice in a richer and the globalized world.''
Basesgioglu said that unemployment problem was among urgent problems which had to be solved also in Turkey as in many other countries due to economic crises which increased due to the effect of globalization in the end of 1990s.
Therefore, the government prepared an Urgent Action Plan and started to take necessary measures, Basesgioglu noted.
Basesgioglu pointed out that the government supported small and medium scale enterprises within the framework of active employment policies besides short term urgent measures in order to prevent unemployment and encouraged initiatives to form new business.
''One of the most important developments in the field of labor norms is the Labor Security Law which entered into force last March. And, with this law, workers are protected against unjust dismissals and given the opportunity to return back to their work. A new Labor Law was adopted a while ago in order to adjust to international labor conventions and to the European Union (EU) acquis,'' Basesgioglu said.
Basesgioglu added, ''this new law regulates some flexible working conditions which are of importance for development of employment, brings provisions aiming at improving women-men equality in employment, and foresees formation of funds protecting workers and enabling them to get their wages in case the employer faces difficulties like the wage guarantee fund and seniority pay fund.''
Basesgioglu said important developments were provided in new labor law and social dialogue, stating that tripartite consultation committees were set up in business places.
Basesgioglu said related commissions of the Parliament adopted article 155 and 161 of ILO, and noted that they were at the stage of approval.
Basesgioglu said another noteworthy development in the field of social protection was social security reform. He said at the first stage measures were taken to prevent unregistered employment.
Labor and Social Security minister said as the second stage individual retirement system was set up, and that efforts are underway to establish a comprehensive and social aid system to improve health services.
Basesgioglu said civil servants, workers and labor institutions exhibited a constructive approach to overcome difficult problems.
(UK-BRC-AY-AÖ) 12.06.2003