Labour Movement in Turkey (15 March - 15 April 2024)

Manisa: On 7 March, Lezita workers went on strike. On 17 March, they held a march and press statement.Continuing their strike, Lezita workers are also struggling against the boss’s scabbing.

Ankara: On 18 March, Agrobay workers started a march to Ankara and ended their protest after a meeting with the Ministry of Labour on 21 March.On March 26, Tarım-Sen union made a press statement in front of the Miner’s Monument in Ankara.The union announced the achievements of the Ankara marching and expressed their appreciation to the pro-labour organizations that have been in solidarity with them since the beginning of the resistance.

İzmir: Organised under Belediye-İş union affiliated Türk-İş, workers from subsidiaries of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, IZSU, IZDOĞA, IZBETON and IZULAŞ walked off the job on 19 March after following the dispute in the collective bargaining process.

On 19 March, the All Pensioners’ Union held demonstrations in various cities demanding decent life conditions and the elimination of injustices in the pension system.

Batman: On 20 March, TPAO workers took action against low wages and demanded unpaid overtime.

İzmir/Gaziemir: At Gates Endüstriyel Metal Kauçuk factory in the Ege Free Trade Zone, the workers went on strike on 8 March. The strike ended in a victory.

İstanbul:On 18 and 19 March, Istanbul Enerji AŞ workers stopped work led by the Enerji-Sen union. The workers raised their voices in front of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. After reaching an agreement with the municipality administration, the workers ended their protest.

Sivas: In Sivas Organized Industrial Zone, workers from RC Endüstri Ulaşım Araçları refused to bow down to the hostility towards the union and went on a wildcat strike.On the 20th day of the strike, the workers stopped production in the factory and forced the boss take a step back. The boss had to negotiate with the union.

Bursa:4 Borusan Lojistik AŞ.workers were dismissed for being members of Liman-İş Union. On 21 March, workers started protests demanding the reinstatement of the dismissed workers and an end to repression of trade union rights. On the fourth day of the protests, the action resulted in a victory. The boss had to make an agreement with the union.

On 23 March, DİSK and DİSK Emekli-Sen union organised two separate actions in Ankara and in İstanbul under the slogan “There are resources, but no funds for pensioners! A decent life in retirement is a right!”

İstanbul: On 25 March, Tanzanian railway workers, whose wages were usurped by Yapı Merkezi Holding, started resistance in front of the company.

Ankara: BİRTEK-SEN union had led the workers at Özak Tekstil who faced all kinds of attacks from the capital and the government during the resistance. The Ministry of Labour imposed an administrative fine of 1.5 million liras on BİRTEK-SEN union in an unjust and unlawful manner. A demonstration was held in front of the ministry on 26 March to protest the fine, following a call by the union.

Mersin: On 27 March, hundreds of workers at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant construction site in Gülnar stopped work because they had not been paid for January and February.

İstanbul: After the dismissal of the trade union representative of Perfetti Vanmelle, where Tekgıda-İş is organised, the boss has been mobbing union members at workplace and trying to discourage them.On 28 March, workers from various workplaces where Tekgıda-İş union is organized, leaders from trade unions, democratic mass organizations and UİD-DER took part in the protest in front of the factory.

Zonguldak: On 28 March, workers at the OYKA Kağıt Ambalaj factory went on strike after no agreement was reached in the collective bargaining process. On 4 April, the strike resulted in a victory.

Eskişehir: Workers from different public sectors, who are members of the trade union Harb-İş, had taken actions in the past months to demand an additional increase. On 4 April, the Eskişehir branch of Harb-İş made a press statement and reiterated its demand for an additional increase.

İzmir: On 3 April, workers employed by Özsoy İnşaat at the construction site of Dokuz Eylül University Hospital for Occupational and Environmental Diseases stopped work because they had not been paid their wages for 3 months.

Denizli: Pamukkale University Hospital workers from Sağlık-İş union organized a series of actions to demand better working conditions.On 3 April, the workers gathered in front of the polyclinic, made a press statement and marched to the cafeteria.

Adıyaman: In Besni Free Trade Zone, workers from the Mega Polietilen factory stopped work and started picketing because they have not been paid their wages for 2 months. On the call of the BİRTEK-SEN union, a solidarity action was held in front of the factory on 15 April. Workers demanded the payment of their wages, the end of cash-in-hand and informal employment, and the reinstatement of all the dismissed workers.

İstanbul: A part of Getir company, Vigo, abolished the guaranteed hourly wage and switched to a wage per parcel system. In response, couriers have been protesting since April 5. On 15 April, the couriers held a press statement in front of central office of Vigo.