Labour Movement in Turkey (15 January - 15 Fabruary 2025)

Strikes in the factories where Birleşik Metal-İş union is organised ended with agreements; GE Grid Solutions on the 33rd day; Green Transfo strike on the 51st day; Chinatool strike ended on the 4th day.

On January 19, the Private Sector Teachers’ Union held a protest in front of the Kadıköy District Directorate of National Education to express the demands of teachers and therapists working in special education and rehabilitation centres.

After being fired for joining the TEKSIF union at Almer Textile, 12 workers were dismissed. On January 20, the union held a protest in front of Başyazıcıoğlu Plaza where the company’s management is located.

Members of DİSK/Dev Turizm-İş union, workers of Beltur AŞ of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality held a press statement on January 20, demanding an additional increase against low wages.

At Yolbulan Metal factory, members of Öz Çelik-İş union have been on strike for 219 days. On January 24, the workers protested in front of the Payas Municipality.

At Lincoln Electric factory, members of Birleşik Metal-İş union went on strike on January 30 after the failure to reach an agreement on wages and social rights during the collective bargaining negotiations that have been going on since September 2024.

In Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, 163 workers were forced to take indefinite unpaid leave. On February 3, DİSK/Genel-İş union Izmir Branches No. 1, 2, 3 and 9 started picketing to demand return to work. The struggle of the workers resulted in a victory.

On the second anniversary of the February 6 earthquakes that killed tens of thousands of people, earthquake victims and workers took to the squares in many cities and shouted, ‘No Forgetting, No Forgiving, No Reconciliation”. In the protests, workers and earthquake victims highlighted the effects of profiteering policies, inadequate disaster and crisis management, and the fact that even the most basic needs of earthquake victims have not yet been met.

Thousands of workers in more than 20 factories in the Başpınar Industrial Zone refused to accept miserable wages and stopped work. The workers, who refused to accept the 15-day protest ban of the Gaziantep Governorate, were attacked by the police and military forces on February 14. The attacks against the workers were protested by trade unions and labour organisations in different cities, especially in Ankara and Istanbul. On February 15, BİRTEK-SEN union held a meeting with workers from Has Synthetic, Yalçın Kardeşler, Çelikaslan and Okkıran Halı and announced that the workers decided to continue the struggle.

The Turkish operator of KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants of the US company Yum Brands, İş Gıda, declared a concordat and 7 thousands workers were not paid their January wages, severance, notice, and holiday pay. The workers protested in front of the company’s headquarters in Istanbul and in front of KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants in many cities.

On 10 February, workers from Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant and mining sites of Coal Enterprises Corporation had started a march to Ankara against privatisation. On February 13, the march ended with a press statement in front of the Privatisation Department of the Treasury and Finance Ministry.

At the Kadıköy Solar Power Plant in Viranşehir, worker from Kalyon and Eksim Real Energy companies stopped work on February 11, to demand an increase in their wages, overtime pay and improved working conditions.

On 14 February, dentists and health workers working in Oral and Dental Health Centres and Hospitals stopped work to press for their demands.

The members of the Energy Workers’ Union at Çoruh EDAŞ of Kazancı Holding in Arsin/Trabzon stopped work on February 14 against the anti-union attitude, dismissal attacks and irregular payment of wages.