Report any employer who maltreats you: TRNC Minister of Labour tells foreign workers

The TRNC Minister of Labor and Social Security has called on foreign workers in the country to report maltreatment by their employers to the necessary authorities vowing that he will not allow employers to mistreat workers.

Minister of Labor and Social Security, Sadık Gardiyanoğlu, Undersecretary Tahir Serhat and Labor Department Director, Sezgi Ballı on Thursday made evaluations regarding the situation of foreign workers, which has been on the public agenda in recent days.

Gardiyanoğlu emphasized that they will not allow employers to mistreat workers stating that no one who comes to the country is a slave, that empathy should be shown. 

He noted that the 'Alo 102' Reporting Line affiliated with the Labor Department is very important to this end.

Gardiyanoğlu shared with the public the information that the new system will warn those who come to the island with preliminary work permit if their work permits are not completed.

“Necessary sanctions will be applied to the company in question and to anyone who uses physical or mobbing methods against the people they employ,” the Minister said.

Ministry Undersecretary Tahir Serhat stated that they were addressing the issue with sensitivity and would do whatever was necessary.

Labor Department Director Sezgi Ballı also stated that the workers called the ministry's hotline to complain. Ballı stated that the workers came to the island with prior permission, but their work permits were not issued by their employers. Ballı noted that the workers' grievances would be resolved as soon as possible.