Labour Movement in Turkey (15 April - 15 May 2025)

On 16 April, health workers from Health and Social Service Laborers Union and Dev Sağlık-İş union at İbni Sina University Hospital launched a three-day food boycott to protest poor food, inadequate water supply, and unsanitary conditions.

Throughout April, workers from district municipalities organized under the Genel-İş union staged various protests after the failure to reach an agreement in the collective bargaining negotiations.  On 17 April, workers of ÇİBEL, a company affiliated to Çiğli Municipality, went on strike; on 6 May, workers of NARBEL, affiliated to Narlıdere Municipality, went on strike; and on 7 May, workers of MERBEL, affiliated to Konak Municipality, went on strike. The strikes ended with the signing of agreements. However, workers from Çiğli and Narlıdere Municipalities reacted that the agreement was signed without their knowledge and approval.

On May 13, workers from Karabağlar Municipality stopped working due to underpayment of wages. Three days later, the workers returned to work after the municipality administration announced that the outstanding payments would be made.

On May 1, sixteen women workers who had been dismissed from Çiğli Municipality began a march from the front of İzmir Çiğli Municipality to Ankara, demanding reinstatement. After a 10-day walk, they held a press statement in front of the CHP Headquarters on 10 May.

On April 14, 120 workers employed by ATR Yapı at the Sakarya City Hospital construction site launched a protest, led by the İnşaat-İş Union, over two months of unpaid wages and denied compensation rights. The protest resulted in a victory on 24 April.

At the Erlau Metal factory, workers from the Birleşik Metal-İş union have been protesting with determination since April 14 against hostility towards union, workplace harassment, dismissals attacks, and low wages. On 12 May, the workers held a protest in front of the German Consulate under the union leadership.

At TÜPRAŞ refineries in İzmir, Kocaeli, Batman, and Kırıkkale, workers from Petrol-İş union took action against the imposition of low wage increases in the collective agreement negotiations. In response to the agreement signed on 7 May, workers stopped production and organized a mass march.

At the Ravago Eastchem and Enplast factories, workers from the Petrol-İş union have been staging in-factory actions since collective bargaining negotiations broke down. On 14 May, they held a warning protest and announced that if no agreement is reached during the May 20–23 negotiations, they will go on strike on June 17.

On April 21, workers went on strike after the Hizmet-İş union and Altındağ Municipality failed to reach an agreement during collective bargaining negotiations.

May Day, the International Day of Unity, Struggle, and Solidarity of the Working Class, was celebrated with widespread participation across Turkey. In response to calls from unions and democratic mass organizations, workers took to the streets in many cities, particularly Istanbul, to voice their demands. They expressed their opposition to the high cost of living, rising prices, heavy tax burdens, low wages, precarious working conditions, government-appointed trustees, arrests, and imperialist wars.

At Portakal Plastic and Porvil Çatı factories in Çayırova, workers from Petrol-İş union went on strike on 7 May after the failure to reach an agreement in the collective bargaining negotiations.

At the Pulver Chemistry factory, workers organized under the Petrol-İş union decided to go on strike on 6 May after collective bargaining negotiations failed to reach an agreement. On the night of May 5th, the workers stopped work, demonstrating their determination to strike. On 6 May, an agreement was reached in the final round of negotiations, and the workers’ determined struggle resulted in victory.

On 7 May, workers organized under the Genel-İş union at IZELMAN, IZENERJİ, and Egeşehir companies of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality stopped working for half a day due to unpaid wages and the deadlock in collective bargaining negotiations that had been ongoing since January. To show their determination once again, workers staged a work slowdown and held press statements on 15 May. They announced that they would go on strike on 29 May if the negotiations failed again.

On May 9, Erol Eğrek, a father of four, was beaten to death by security guards of Çalık Holding outside its building in Şişli. He had gone there to demand his rightful compensation. Numerous protests were organized in response to his murder. Following a call from DİSK, KESK, TMMOB, TTB, the Istanbul Bar Association, and the Istanbul Labor, Peace, and Democracy Forces, workers gathered in front of the company building on May 12. These actions were supported by unions, political parties, democratic mass organizations, youth organizations, and UİD-DER.

On 13 May, workers from the Petrol-İş union went on strike at TPI Composit’s factories in Menemen and Çiğli, which produce blades for wind turbines. The strike was in response to a paltry wage increase imposed during collective bargaining negotiations.