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

Workers all over Turkey are unionizing and struggling against poor working conditions, usurpation of rights and low wages. In response, bosses force organized workers to resign from the union, mobbing them and firing them. However, workers continue their struggle against all these injustices.

• Workers from Patiswiss were fired after being member of Öz Gıda-İş union. On 5 February, the workers started picketing in front of the factory and their struggle continues.
• Organised under Öz İplik-İş union, workers from Durak Tekstil have been determinedly carrying on their struggle since 19 February.
• Ekol Ofset workers from Basın-İş union, IFFCO and Eker workers from Tek Gıda-İş union keep struggling against dismissals and hostility towards union.
• On 7 March, workers organised under Öz Gıda-İş union went on strike against the employer’s pressure to force them to resign from the union and dismissals.
• Organised under Genel-İş union, workers from Şişli Municipality and Kadıköy Municipality took actions demanding an additional raise.

Workers refuse to remain silent against bosses’ attacks on wages…

• Energy workers from TES-İŞ union, Maltepe Municipality workers from Genel-İş union, health workers from Ege University Medical Faculty Hospital, Çibel Cleaning Services workers from Izmir Çiğli Municipality, Newport Shipping workers working in Çiçek Shipyard from Limter-İş union are carrying out actions for their unpaid wages.
• After determined struggle and work stoppage for their unpaid wages, workers achieved gains at Mitaş Endüstri AŞ, which is affiliated to Turkish Employers’ Association of Metal Industries (MESS). On 15 February, the workers were paid all their claims. After the wages were paid, the boss dismissed workers under the pretext of “downsizing”. Workers are reacting against the silence of the Türk Metal union.
• On 5 March, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality workers from Belediye-İş union stopped work for half-day following the failure to reach an agreement during the collective bargaining negotiations.
• On 16 March, İzmir Çiğli Municipality workers from Tüm Bel-Sen union took action to reclaim their two-month unpaid part of their wages based on the collective contract.
• On 6 March, Association for Support of Women Candidates (KA.DER) workers staged a protest in front of the KA.DER office in Mecidiyeköy. Workers raised their voice against mobbing, low wages, unpaid overtime and denial of union rights.
• On 7 March, private security workers from DİSK/ Güvenlik-Sen union gathered to make a press statement in front of Vakıfbank Regional Directorate against the mobbing and pressure of Vakıfbank management.
• On 8 March, workers went on strike after failure to reach an agreement during the collective bargaining process at the Gates Endüstriyel Metal Kauçuk factory, where Birleşik Metal-İş is the authorized union.
• On 8 March, International Working Women’s Day, working women across Turkey shouted out against exploitation, violence, war and double oppression.
• Having been fired after demanding an additional rise, workers from Ulutaş Halı started actions that resulted in success after 12 days. The workers were reinstated and received a 60 to 65 percent rise. The struggle of Sayın Tekstil workers, who were fired for demanding an additional rise, has been ongoing since 9 March.
• On 14 March Medical Day, healthcare workers took to the streets in various cities across Turkey and shouted out their demands.
• Last month, Melike Tekstil workers who are struggling for their unpaid wages, and Portakal Plastik workers organized in Petrol-İş both won.
• At Gesbey factory, 5 workers were dismissed after getting organized under Birleşik Metal-İş union. On 15 March, the workers staged a protest in front of the factory under the leadership of their union.
• UID-DER, a fighting organisation of workers, brought together hundreds of workers from many sectors with events spread over two weeks. In the enthusiastic 8 March events organized by UİD-DER, leaders and representatives from unions and striking workers came together in UİD-DER branches, various trade union branches and cultural centres.