on the data of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services, in the 4.5-month period from the beginning of the pandemic to the beginning of August 2020, 22.4 billion cash payments were made to 6 million workers and unemployed (İŞKUR allowances for short-time working, unpaid leave [cash wage] and unemployment allowances). Workers, receiving these allowances were paid on average TL 822 monthly, which is one third of the net minimum wage of 2020.84 During the 4.5 months of the pandemic, based on pre-pandemic and current amounts, only TL 15-16 billion has been used from the Fund. This demonstrates that it would have been possible to provide greater support with the funds of ISF during the pandemic. During the pandemic, in addition to those who lost their jobs, those who continued to work also suffered a significant reduction of income. According to a DİSK report 85 , 36% of the workers affiliated to the trade unions participating in the study, suffered from lost wages and reduced income, 40% turned to cheaper food items, and the debt level of more than 25% of the workers increased. The data showed that even union member workers suffered a loss of income and became indebted during the Covid-19 outbreak.86 Many workers had to work under conditions that increased their chances of catching Covid-19. Workers in the manufacturing industry were obliged to work for a long time in factories that continued operations under special permits. These continued operation even when curfews were declared as a precaution against the spread of the pandemic. They were consequently exposed to the health and social effects of Covid-19 more than others. A report prepared by DİSK-AR, which contained data from members of affiliated unions, revealed that the concerns of workers about Covid-19 were not Source: DİSK Tekstil unfounded.87 According to the report, the rate of Covid-19 positive cases among workers who are members of DİSK is 3.2 times higher than the rate of the total cases in Turkey, with DİSK members at 4.1 per thousand compared with1.3 per thousand in the general population of Turkey.88 İşçileri Sendikası Mehmet Türkmen, Gaziantep representative of the Textile Union affiliated to DİSK, was detained for his social media posts on the pandemic that spread to the factories in the city. Türkmen, who announced that workers were forced to work in factories despite the pandemic, was targeted on a local news site, and was accused of being a provocateur. On April 3, 2020, Turkmen was taken from his home into custody at the Gaziantep Provincial Security Directorate on the charges of “inciting or humiliating the public to hatred and hatred,” following a report made to the police. After giving his statement at the prosecutor’s office, he was released. However, the factory, which was mentioned in social media posts, stopped production for 15 days upon the protests of the workers. Following Mehmet Türkmen’s statements, about 10 factories in the region stopped production and sent their workers on paid leave.89 gercekleri-310519 A Closed System Working Method was implemented between July 27 and August 9, 2020 at the Dardanel Fish Processing Factory in Çanakkale. This 85 WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON WORKERS? The Effects of the Outbreak on Working Life According to the 87 http://disk.org.tr/2020/04/covid-19-disk-raporunun-ucuncusu-yayinlandi/ 84 https://www.birgun.net/haber/salgin-doneminde-yoksula-ve-isciye-verilen-destek-yeterli-mi-sosyal-koruma-kalkani- Field Study among DİSK Member Worker http://disk.org.tr/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DISK-COVID-19-AlanArast%C4%B1rmas%C4%B1-Rapor-8-7-2020.pdf 88 http://disk.org.tr/2020/04/covid-19-disk-raporunun-ucuncusu-yayinlandi/ 86 http://disk.org.tr/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DISK-COVID-19-Alan-Arast%C4%B1rmas%C4%B1-Rapor-8-7-2020.pdf 89 https://www.sessizkalma.org/defender/mehmet-turkmen/ 74 C O L L E C T I V E R I G H T S O F W O R K E R S U N D E R T U R K E Y ’ S C O N T I N U O U S S TAT E O F E M E R G E N C Y T R A D E U N I O N R I G H T S I N E U R O P E A N A N D E U R O P E A N - A F F I L I AT E D E N T E R P R I S E S SUMMARY ON THE GENERAL SITUATION OF WORKERS’ RIGHTS AND VIOLATIONS IN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC 75