UKT Working Conditions

Rules defined by the Turkish Association of United Conference Interpreters , TKTD, and International Association of Conference Interpreters, AIIC form UKT’s Working Conditions.

1. Interpreters accept only those assignments for which they have the necessary knowledge and experience.

2. Interpreters are subject to the confidentiality principles of their profession. Information, documents etc. they have access to as interpreters shall not be given to or shared with third parties without the consent of the conference organizer. Such confidentiality is not limited to the duration of their contract and will remain in effect even after the termination of the contract.

3. TKTD members do not work with individuals who do not abide by the working conditions as set forth by TKTD / AIIC ,  or who lack the required references certifying their professional qualifications.

4. Interpreters sign a contract with the conference organizer(s) or his/her/their intermediary specifying their remuneration, as well as the terms and conditions of their work in accordance with the basic texts of TKTD /AIIC.

5. Interpreters, under all conditions, interpret only what they hear. If they are intentionally forced to provide interpretation that is biased, incomplete and / or redundant, they shall refuse to work without being subject to sanctions of any kind for this reason.

6. Interpreters do not and cannot be forced to work alone except under exceptional circumstances (such as short press conferences), which do not exceed 1 hour. Maximum duration of work for a team of at least two interpreters (including the whispering mode of interpretation) must not exceed 2 x 3 hours per day. Interpreters must have a lunch break of at least one hour. When total work exceeds 6 hours per day, a third interpreter or a fresh team of two interpreters is required. Separate booths must be installed for each working language. In consecutive interpretation, uninterrupted period of work for one interpreter must not exceed 1 hour and a total of 2 hours per day. Exceptions to this rule are accompanying (bilateral) interpretation assignments and protocol requirements.

7. Interpreters are responsible for interpretation only and cannot in any way be forced to translate texts or do any work not specified in their contract.

8. All interpreters employed for the same meeting by the same employer receive equal payment for their work.

9. As foreseen in relevant national and international conventions and copyright laws, any audio / visual recording of interpretation and its broadcast on TV, radio or any other media shall be subject to the consent of the interpreters and additional copyright fees. Sole exceptions to this rule are conferences organized specifically to inform the press and when interpreters are employed by broadcast institutions. Outsiders entering booths for recording purposes or placing microphones, recording devices etc. is strictly forbidden. 

10. Conference organizers shall provide, within a reasonable period of time prior to the meeting, all documents (speeches, presentations, programs, etc.) which will help interpreters with their technical and linguistic preparation. In addition, a meeting between the organizers and interpreters may be arranged when the subject matter is highly technical or politically sensitive or when deemed necessary by the conference organizer or the interpreters.

11. Interpreters cannot be asked  to interpret audio / visual recordings which they have not seen / heard before the meeting or for which a script has not been provided. For interpretation purposes, the sound of the audio / visual material must be transmitted directly to the interpreters through the interpretation system.

12. Technical equipment and booths used in simultaneous interpretation must comply with Turkish and ISO Standards TS ISO 2603 and 4043*; there must be one outgoing channel for each language; booths must provide, from a reasonable distance, full view of the speaker, rostrum and audio / visual materials. If the location of the booth, technical equipment and other conditions are unsuitable, interpreters cannot be forced to work until adjustments are made to provide technically and visually acceptable conditions.

13. When working outside their domicile, interpreters are compensated for their travel (including airport transfers) and subsistence expenses by the conference organizer or receive per diem to cover these expenses. Interpreters travel by air or, where this is not possible, by the most direct route to the conference venue. Interpreters stay at the hotel where the conference is held. Where this not possible,   then interpreters must stay at the same hotel with the participants or at a nearby hotel that is of equivalent standard. Single rooms must be booked for each interpreter.

14. Travel day compensation is applicable if interpreters are required to travel, the day before the conference, from their domicile within working hours (09:00-18:00) or arrive at their domicile after midnight on the last day of the conference. They are entitled to paid rest-days other than their travel day if work requires them to travel overseas  across time zones, straining them physically. When working away from their domicile, interpreters are also entitled to per diem and remuneration for each non-working day (for losing working days) in between assignments.

15. All intermediary parties signing contracts with interpreters are responsible for putting the interpreters in direct contact with the organizers of the meeting so that interpreters are fully informed about the contents of their assignment. This is  to ensure interpretation of the highest quality.

16. With the exception of force majeure, interpreters shall be entitled to receive cancellation compensation if the conference organizer terminates the contract unilaterally short time before the assignment. If, however, an interpreter is unable to work in a conference due to force majeure, she /he shall recommend, within a reasonable period of time prior to the conference so as not to cause any inconvenience on the part of the conference organizer, another conference interpreter with the same qualifications who accepts to work under the agreed-upon working conditions.

    (*)TS EN ISO 140-4: 2006, Acoustics – Measurement of sound insulation in buildings and of building elements - Part 4 – Field measurements of airborne sound insulation between rooms
    TS EN ISO 3382: 2004, Acoustics – Measurement of the reverberation time of rooms with reference to other acoustic parameters
    CEI 60914: 1998, Conference infrastructure – electro-acoustic conditions
    TS EN ISO 717-1: 2006, Acoustics - Rating of sound insulation in buildings and of building elements - Part 1: Airborne sound insulation
    TS ISO 4043: 2007, Mobile booths for simultaneous interpretation - General characteristics and equipment
    TS EN ISO 11654: 2002, Acoustics - Sound absorbers for use in buildings - Rating of sound absorption