Labour Movement in Turkey (15 June - 15 July 2024)

At Yolbulan Metal factory, workers from Özçelik-İş union went on strike on 20 June after the collective bargaining agreement negotiations failed to reach an agreement.

On 22 June, subcontracted workers from İYİ-SEN union had started an action against usurpation their wages at Sakarya City Hospital construction site. The action resulted in a victory on the 8th day.

On 22 June, subcontracted workers, members of İYİ-SEN union, started an action against the usurpation of their wages at the construction site of Sakarya City Hospital. The action resulted in a victory on the 8th day.

On 24 June, Bayraklı City Hospital workers walked off the job to protest low wages and poor working conditions.

Organised under Petrol-İş union, 180 workers of Novares Automotive went on strike on 25 June after the collective bargaining negotiations failed to reach an agreement. The strike ended with a victory on its 3rd day.

The workers of ABP factory in Manisa and the workers of KLAS Air Conditioning Systems in Izmir faced a dismissal attack after organizing under Birleşik Metal-İş union. On 25 June, workers in both factories started picketing.

Following the call of the Istanbul Trade Union Branches Platform, which is composed of unions affiliated to Türk-İş, Hak-İş and DİSK, union officials and workers took action in Bakırköy Özgürlük Square on 26 June and demanded an increase in the minimum wage in July.

Workers from İZENERJİ and İZDOĞA companies, part of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, have been picketing since 22 May against unjust dismissals after the local elections. The workers’ struggle ended with a victory on the 35th day and 93 workers were reinstated.

After being fired for unionisation and then starting a resistance in Bursa/Gemlik, the workers of Borusan Port held a press conference in front of the headquarters of the holding company in Istanbul on 2 July. Trade union representatives from different confederations, pro-labour parties and UİD-DER took part in the protest.

On 1 July, 60 cleaning workers from Şehitkamil Municipality were dismissed on the grounds of austerity measures of the government. The workers started picketing in front of the municipality.

The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) announced the annual inflation rate for June as 71.6 percent and the six-month inflation rate as 24.73 percent. DISK and KESK protested the figures announced by TurkStat with press statements.

On 3 July, All Pensioners’ Union held a press statement with the slogan “We Want a Decent Life” and raised their demands.

On 4 July, the Ankara branches of the Office Workers’ Union made a press statement in front of the Provincial Directorate of the Social Security Institution. Workers protested against the usurpation of their right to shuttle service on the grounds of “austerity measures”.

Members of Tüm Bel-Sen Izmir Branch No. 1, workers employed in ESHOT and IZSU General Directorates stopped work once again on 5 July against the usurpation of their rights arising from the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

At Kütahya Seyitömer Thermal Power Plant, workers from TES-İş union staged a warning strike on 3 July following the rejection of their demands for a wage increase.

On 1 July, mine workers at Eti Krom AŞ, a subsidiary of Yıldırımlar Holding, had stopped work against their usurped wages. Following the inconclusive negotiations and threats from the boss, the workers staged a sit-in protest in front of the factory. The workers’ struggle resulted in a victory on the 16th day.

At Sumitomo tyre factory, 2700 workers from Petrol-İş union went on strike on 29 May after the collective bargaining failed to reach an agreement. On 10 July, the strike resulted in a victory.

On 9 July, subcontracted workers at Head Office of Post and Telegraph Organisation (PTT) went on strike against low wages and overtime work. The workers won on the 2nd day of their action.

For being members of Türk Metal Union, 17 workers were fired from Bitron, which employs around 554 workers. On 10 July, union leaders and dismissed workers made a statement in front of the factory and protested the Bitron management’s hostility towards union.

After no agreement was reached in the collective bargaining negotiations at the Purmo Group factory, the workers who are members of Birleşik Metal-İş went on strike on 8 May.  The strike ended in victory on 12 July.