Striking allegations from laid-off CHP employees! What does the 'butlan' administration say?

At the CHP Headquarters, the layoffs that followed Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's return to the chairmanship on May 21, following a court ruling of "absolute nullity" (mutlak butlan), have turned into a new topic of debate within the party.

It is stated that the layoffs began on May 26, the eve of Eid al-Adha, and continued in groups in the following weeks. Müslim Sarı, spokesperson for the 'butlan' administration at the CHP, announced that a total of 58 employees, including both subcontracted and permanent staff, had been dismissed. The Tez-Koop-İş Union, meanwhile, announced that 42 out of 120 union-member employees had been laid off.

According to a report by BBC Türkçe, employees at the party are employed both as unionized CHP staff and through subcontracting companies. While some of the laid-off employees confirmed that they have filed reinstatement lawsuits, it is reported that concerns persist at the headquarters regarding whether the process will continue.

WHAT DO THE LAID-OFF EMPLOYEES SAY?

Gül Çiftçi, who served as the Deputy Chairman responsible for Election and Legal Affairs during the Özgür Özel era, said that everyone hired after the 2023 party congress was laid off. According to Çiftçi, the list included not only newly hired personnel but also some long-serving employees, including the party photographer, communications specialists, membership registration staff, and secretaries.

Çiftçi alleged that some employees were dismissed without severance pay by being "treated as if they had committed a disgraceful crime," while others were offered severance pay on the condition that they drop their reinstatement lawsuits. These allegations could not be independently verified.

Merve, one of the employees whose name was changed in the report, stated that she learned of her dismissal through an SGK (Social Security Institution) notification on her mobile phone. Merve described an atmosphere of "uncertainty and distrust" at the headquarters following the change in administration, noting that employees were living with the anxiety of "Am I next?"

"I expected a reason to be provided. But there was no face-to-face conversation, no explanation was given. That was the hardest part to bear. We put in so much effort and they didn't even look us in the face."

Begüm, who worked at the Presidential Candidate Office for 1.5 years, also said they learned they were unemployed on the eve of the holiday while expecting their salary payments. Expressing that the process being carried out "in groups and without stating a reason" was exhausting, Begüm explained that those laid off also included staff working in cleaning and tea services.

THE ADMINISTRATION'S JUSTIFICATION: SURPLUS PERSONNEL AND DISCIPLINE

The 'butlan' administration at the CHP explains the primary justification for the layoffs as "surplus personnel" and "disciplinary issues" regarding some employees. Müslim Sarı stated that during the Özgür Özel era, the number of permanent staff at the headquarters had risen from 94 to 179, including 40 subcontractors.

Sarı stated that some of those laid off left their posts due to retirement, and others due to the closure of the Presidential Candidate Office. He argued that some employees were dismissed on the grounds of social media posts, disciplinary issues, or failure to perform assigned duties.

"Severance pay is not paid to those who commit crimes within the scope of their contract. We did not pay severance to employees whom we deemed to have committed crimes and whom we dismissed on those grounds. But they will, of course, resort to legal channels."

Sarı said that severance pay was provided to employees outside of this scope, and that some employees received over 2 million liras in severance. CHP General Manager Özgür Karakoç stated that he could not provide information, noting that the matter concerns the executives.

Bülent Kuşoğlu, the CHP Deputy Chairman responsible for Administrative and Financial Affairs, stated that a significant portion of the layoffs took place before he took office. Kuşoğlu said that it is impossible to approve of the layoffs, but that there was a "surplus of personnel beyond what was needed."

Kuşoğlu stated that there was factionalism and distrust among the employees, which made the process difficult, adding, "I also admit that there were mistakes in this process." Stating that he had met with the union president, Kuşoğlu argued that the severance pay of many employees had been paid.

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel had criticized the layoffs at the parliamentary group meeting on June 2. Özel had stated that only two people were dismissed during his term, and that those individuals were offered jobs in other institutions under the same conditions.

In response to Özel's criticisms regarding the dismissal of some long-serving CHP staff without severance pay, Sarı replied that the process was different from previous handovers. Sarı argued that some employees could not be kept in their positions due to social media posts and graffiti directed at the chairman and the management staff.

News Source: 12punto