He had said 'If you won't work, resign': Unions react to Tamer Karadağlı

State Theaters General Manager Tamer Karadağlı's statement, "If you won't work, resign; the Tulip Era is over," is drawing increasing reactions. 

Kültür Emek-Sen, in a written statement, posed questions to Karadağlı regarding the artists.

"Is there any artist of ours who has been assigned a task and said they would not work?" the union asked, questioning why tasks were not assigned to the artists he claimed had not been working for years.

ARTISTS AND TECHNICAL STAFF FORM THE FOUNDATION OF THE THEATERS

Emphasizing that the State Theaters have reached their 75th year, Kültür Emek-Sen stated that those who truly keep the institution standing are the art laborers, artists, and technical staff. The statement expressed that employees have endured all difficulties with great sacrifice and continue their struggle alongside the public.

THE PROBLEMS OF EMPLOYEES CANNOT BE IGNORED

According to a report by Yunis Alaçam from Birgün, the Culture Labor Union emphasized that artists are still receiving wages close to the hunger threshold.

The statement read,'Mr. Karadağlı's statement is superficial, not based on statistics, and casts suspicion on the entire institution. While one of the responsibilities of his office is to protect and improve the personal, financial, and social rights of art workers, it is astonishing that he is complaining about the artists under his own administration.' it was stated.

QUESTIONS DIRECTED AT KARADAĞLI 

Kültür Emek-Sen posed the following questions to Karadağlı:

Is there any artist of ours who has been assigned a task but said they would not work?

Why have tasks not been assigned to the artists you claim have not worked for years?

How many artists want to work and have submitted projects, but have not been assigned any roles?

Have the incentives for these artists been cut?

On what legal basis are these incentive cuts being made?

WHAT HAPPENED?

Tamer Karadağlı, who was appointed as the General Manager of State Theaters in January of this year, had stated that he was challenging those within the institution who collect a salary without doing any work. Saying, 'The Tulip Era is over,' Karadağlı remarked, 'It does not seem right for anyone to sit around for years just collecting a salary while claiming, 'I am an actor,' or 'I am a theater artist.' I am saying, 'If you won't work, resign.' I am very careful about being fair.'

On the other hand, Karadağlı, who announced that state theaters broke a record last year with 2.25 million spectators, had said, 'People are calling us like crazy for tickets.'