Labour Movement in Turkey (15 December 2024 - 15 January 2025)

Dayanışma TV made a documentary called ‘146+1: Polonez’ for Polonez workers who started a resistance to defend their unionasation rights. The premiere of the documentary was held on 22 December in Nâzım Özbay Cultural Centre of Çatalca Municipality with an enthusiastic participation. Despite pressure and bans, Polonez workers continued their resistance and ended their struggle with victory. With the participation of pro-worker organisations, political parties, trade unions and UID-DER, the workers celebrated their victory on 7 January in the picket area next to the factory.

After no agreement was reached in the collective bargaining negotiations between Birleşik Metal-İş union and the metal bosses’ union MESS, workers went on strike at Hitachi Energy on 4 December, at GE Grid Solutions and Schneider Electric on 13 December and at Arıtaş Cryogenic on 19 December. The strikes had been banned by President Erdogan. However, the workers did not give in to the ban and continued their struggle. The workers’ determination brought successes. The strikes ended with agreements at Hitachi Energy on 24 December, Schneider Electric on 6 January, Arıtaş Krijojenik on 10 January and Grid Solutions on 14 January.

The strike continues at Green Transfo, which is not affiliated to MESS but where the strike started at the same period as the MESS affiliated factories.

The boss rejected to the authorization of Petrol-İş union at the Betek Paint factory. The boss increased the hostility against the union and started to dismiss workers. In response, the workers stopped work and locked themselves in the factory on 25 December. The struggle of the workers forced the boss to back down. The dismissals were stopped. Betek Boya management agreed to carry out all processes together with the union and to start collective bargaining negotiations.

After the minimum wage for 2025 was set at 22,104 liras, unions and workers protested in many cities across Turkey. They protested against the inflation figures of the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat).

On 27 December, the Private Sector Teachers’ Union held a protest in front of the Miner’s Monument. They reiterated their demand for a basic wage and protested the new minimum wage.

KESK organised protests in many cities across Turkey under the title ‘TurkStat Figures are Fake, Poverty is Real! We Demand a Decent Wage in the View of the Real Cost of Living!’.

On 11 January, DİSK/Emekli-Sen held press statements in many cities across Turkey under the title ‘TurkStat Figures are Deceptive and Frauduent but the Hunger, Poverty, and Misery are Real!

Public workers protested against poor wage raise of 11.54 per cent across the country. On 13 January, public workers from KESK, Birleşik Kamu-İş, Hür-Sen and ASİM-Sen unions stopped work and raised their demands through marches and press statements.

Public sector workers across the country protested against the low wage increase of 11.54 per cent. On 13 January, public sector workers from KESK, Birleşik Kamu-İş, Hür-Sen and ASİM-Sen unions stopped work and raised their demands through marches and press statements.

At Perfetti Van Melle factory, workers from Tekgıda-İş Union had been subjected to the hostility of the employer towards union and dismissal attack. In response, they started picketing in February 2024. As the workers’ struggle was approaching a year, the union announced on 3 January that the resistance had resulted in a victory. The workers celebrated their victory with drumming and halay dance.

Family Health Centre workers continue to take actions against the Regulation on Family Medicine Contract and Payment, which entered into force on 1 November. Health workers once again stopped work between 6-10 January.

Workers at the Family Health Centres continue to take action against the Family Medicine Contract and Payment Ordinance, which came into force on 1 November. Between 6 and 10 January, health workers again walked out.

Members of DİSK/Genel-İş union, workers employed in İZENERJİ, İZDOĞA, Ege City Planning and IZFAS companies of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality went on strike on 7 January after underpayment and late payment of their wages and bonuses.

Organised under Çağrı-İş union against poor working conditions, workers of Telus Call Centre faced a dismissal attack. On 9 January, workers took action against dismissals in front of the workplace. They continue their struggle.

At Bocchi Sanikey Ceramics factory, workers stopped work on 8 January against irregular, delayed payments and arbitrary unpaid leave.

On 10 January, the workers took action in front of the TYH textile factory, where DİSK/Tekstil-İş union was organising, against the employer’s hostility towards union and the dismissal attack.