Invisible Labor in Turkey
Abstract
In this paper, I would like to examine neoliberalism and its effects on labor; particularly invisible women labor of Turkey, Istanbul starting with 1990s. I argue that neoliberalism seeking profit maximization in a perfect market led economy has several destructive results on labor in developing countries like Turkey since they do not have appropriate regulatory mechanisms but have eagerness to gain more at the expense of their citizens’ rights and even lives. With the help of neoliberal policies informalization of labor became a reality and flexible working forms take place in order to gain smallest amount of money. Women who live in the subsistence level became transparent in the street.
Keywords: invisible labor, neoliberalism, flexibility, informalization.
INTRODUCTION
Women work, but they cannot take what they deserved since they are actually invisible. Female workers are counted as informal, invisible work force since globalization has come with neoliberal policies and took away their chances to be equal in the working place, in the papers of social security and in the eyes of their husbands. Neoliberalism and globalization has changed working patterns of Fordist Era by introducing flexibility, easy hiring and firing mechanisms, subcontracted labors and so on. By doing so, they marginalized female work force, and pushed them away from descent wage labor status if they are not educated. As mothers and daughters who have to bring money to home, women accepted this position and bear the costs of them.
Invisible female labor activities are diverse especially in global cities. As stated by Sassen (2008: 64), immigrant women live in bad conditions to take care children or dogs of professional women in those cities. Women started to migrate, became nannies, housekeepers, sent money to their homes within their survival circuits; and hence global cities became new places of low paid, subcontracted women workers’ survival attempts take place. Sassen
In this paper, I would like to examine neoliberalism and its effects on labor; particularly invisible women labor of Turkey, Istanbul starting with 1990s. I argue that neoliberalism seeking profit maximization in a perfect market led economy has several destructive results on labor in developing countries like Turkey since they do not have appropriate regulatory mechanisms but have eagerness to gain more at the expense of their citizens’ rights and even lives. With the help of neoliberal policies informalization of labor became a reality and flexible working forms take place in order to gain smallest amount of money. Women who live in the subsistence level became transparent in the street.
Keywords: invisible labor, neoliberalism, flexibility, informalization.
INTRODUCTION
Women work, but they cannot take what they deserved since they are actually invisible. Female workers are counted as informal, invisible work force since globalization has come with neoliberal policies and took away their chances to be equal in the working place, in the papers of social security and in the eyes of their husbands. Neoliberalism and globalization has changed working patterns of Fordist Era by introducing flexibility, easy hiring and firing mechanisms, subcontracted labors and so on. By doing so, they marginalized female work force, and pushed them away from descent wage labor status if they are not educated. As mothers and daughters who have to bring money to home, women accepted this position and bear the costs of them.
Invisible female labor activities are diverse especially in global cities. As stated by Sassen (2008: 64), immigrant women live in bad conditions to take care children or dogs of professional women in those cities. Women started to migrate, became nannies, housekeepers, sent money to their homes within their survival circuits; and hence global cities became new places of low paid, subcontracted women workers’ survival attempts take place. Sassen
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