Work Contracts and Creative Justice for Turkey

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Bulut, Ergin. 2024. Work Contracts and Creative Justice for Turkey. In: Vicki Mayer; Noa Lavie and Miranda Banks, eds. Media Industries in Crisis: What COVID Unmasked. New York: Routledge, pp. 144-151. ISBN 9781032481920 [Book Section]

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Abstract or Description

The television drama (dizi) industry in Turkey faced contradictions in its management when COVID hit the country. The government paid television celebrities to promote staying at home, but these celebrities had to continue working. While government officials praised the industry’s continued labor as sacrificial heroism, film and drama industry workers were excluded from priority vaccination status until June 2021. The television sector’s long-standing “handcuff contracts,” which prioritize fair pay but violate workers’ rights to a healthy and safe work environment, are thus examined. These contracts restrict actors from criticizing producers, deny them a fair share of profits, and require them to work overtime without compensation. The contracts also impose extreme penalties for quitting during a production. As such, work contracts in the industry must address workers’ rights to healthy and safe work conditions and the right to disconnect from work when necessary.

Item Type:

Book Section

Identification Number (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003387794