An unemployed worker from Kocaeli
As an unemployed person from Kocaeli I am not sure if I am the only one who worries about the difficulties I face. I am 40 years old and long term unemployed. In all my job applications my age has been used as an excuse to refuse me a job. I have been unable to keep up the maintenance payments for my children and am facing a court trial for missed payments.
As some employers have access to this information, I have been asked by several of them to reapply for the position once my payments have been cleared. I got married then had a divorce as we could not get on. I tell them that in order to clear the debt I need a job first.
However, I always get the answer, ‘we are sorry’.
Tomorrow is my daughter’s birthday. I would have wanted to buy her a birthday cake in celebration. My daughter implied that I am an irresponsible dad as I have been unable to find a job for so long. I am sitting on a bench and watching the sea. I am about to lose my determination to live. I do not want to leave behind two little girls without a father. This system leaves you without a job first, which forces you into debt, and once you cannot pay off your debt due to unemployment it brings about enforcements. I have nothing in this life.
My only hope is to find a good job to help support my daughters build a good future and is this too much to ask for? Am I responsible for my long unemployment and hopelessness? Of course not. It is the government and the employers who have created such a system.
Unemployment is an issue faced by millions in this country. For that reason, we have no other option but to unite. If we stop, watch and wait we would simply fall deeper. We need to walk in order to stand up. Let’s all march on the 1st of May!
Hediye Levent
Yusuf Karadaş
Yücel Özdemir