PRIVATIZATION OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT: IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY OR THREAT TO RECRUITMENT SUBCONTRACTED WORKERS

Abstract

In Turkey, solid waste services began to be privatized in the 1980s. The area most opened to privatization among all solid waste processes became the first stage that entailed the collection of solid wastes. The area of service was opened to the market to reduce costs originating from high wages. Privatization in collection services is based on the justification of the gradually worsening burdening of these services for municipal budgets and the inability to conduct services as required through the municipality. However, with a decree issued at the end of 2017, the cleaning services that municipalities procure through market firms with tenders based on the employment of personnel according to the provisions of the Public Tender Law have been acquired by municipal companies by providing a continuous cadre of workers. In other words, a portion of the privatized field of service, at least relating to personnel, was socialization again in a manner that has increased throughout a period of more than 30 years. This situation was a development that produced financial results for solid waste management specifically and in the sense of all municipal budgets in general. This study mainly shows that the new order established by the Decree Law will have negative as well as financially positive results and claims that a new wave of privatization may not be emerged if sustainable conditions of taking of personnel are established.