Labour Movement in Turkey This Month (15 December - 15 January)

In the squares of many cities, workers have protested unemployment and the high cost of living. In many cities of Turkey, workers refuse to succumb to the attacks of the bosses. They keep fighting for their rights.

• In the squares of many cities, workers have protested unemployment and the high cost of living.
• On December 12, DISK organised a meeting in Kartal Square under the slogan “Enough is enough! We want to make a living!”
• The rally turned out to be an important workers’ protest.
• In December, health workers went on strike across Turkey. The strike was called by the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) and Confederation of Public Employees Trade Unions (KESK).
• On December 18-19, public employees gathered in rallies organized by KESK in many cities including Istanbul, Ankara, Diyarbakır and İzmir.
• On January 2, Türk Metal Union held a rally in Kocaeli after the disagreement in collective bargaining negotiations between the metal bosses’ organization MESS (Turkish Employers’ Association of Metal Industries) and the trade unions. Tens of thousands of metal workers attended the rally. Meanwhile, Birleşik Metal-İş took strike actions in factories covered by MESS in various cities. Kocaeli-Gebze, Bursa, Bilecik, İzmir…
• On January 12, the collective bargaining process between MESS and the trade unions has been concluded. Whereas real inflation exceeds 80%, the wages will increase by 27.44% for the first six months and 30% for the second six months.
• Çimsataş workers, who are members of Birleşik Metal union, asked a revise of the contract, which brought a wage increase below the real inflation rate. Workers took strike action for their demands.
• The strike of Bakırköy Municipality workers is growing with the support of thousands of municipal workers from all over Turkey.
• Rifis Machine workers, Oppo workers, Nelteks workers, Kayı Construction workers, Uğur Textile and Özak Textile workers, Doğanay Food, Belkarper and Adkotürk workers, Cumhuriyet Newspaper workers… In many cities of Turkey, workers refuse to succumb to the attacks of the bosses. They keep fighting for their rights.