Turkey’s largest labor confederation has announced a series of strikes after failing to reach a deal with government employers over wage increases for 600,000 public sector workers for 2025 and 2026, the Anka news agency reported.
The Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TÜRK-İŞ) said the decision follows more than seven months of deadlocked talks with the Turkish Heavy Industry and Service Sector Public Employers Union (TÜHİS), which represents the government and public employers in negotiations. Union leaders cited growing frustration with what they described as disrespectful wage proposals amid soaring inflation and rising poverty.
Speaking outside TÜRK-İŞ headquarters in Ankara, union president Ergün Atalay denounced the government’s latest pay offer as “an insult to workers,” urging officials to honor previous commitments. “The state must keep its word,” he said.
Atalay presented a copy of the government’s proposal from a recent meeting with Labor and Social Security Minister Vedat Işıkhan. The offer included a four-term raise structure: 24 percent for the first half of 2025, followed by increases of 11 percent, 10 percent and 6 percent for each subsequent six-month period. Atalay said the offer falls short of covering workers’ essential living expenses.
“Are there people satisfied with the economic situation in this country? Yes, there are. But who’s happy with the finance minister? The bosses are. Not the workers, not the retirees,” Atalay said, adding that the issue should be resolved by elected leaders, not left to bureaucrats.
Strike notices have already been posted at nearly 500 workplaces, with more expected in the coming days, including at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Finance Ministry and several universities. The first work stoppages are set to begin at state-run mining and chemicals company Eti Maden, which specializes in boron products, on August 1, followed by coal mines in Zonguldak province on August 2. Atalay said all affiliated unions are expected to begin striking within 10 days.
TÜRK-İŞ and HAK-İŞ, the second-largest labor confederation in Turkey, are demanding that the daily minimum wage be raised to TL 1,800 ($44), followed by a 50 percent increase in the first half of 2025 and two 25 percent raises in subsequent terms. The unions are also seeking a 10 percent prosperity share to help offset rising living expenses.
A prosperity share is a type of payment made in addition to employees’ regular wages, typically intended to compensate for losses in purchasing power caused by inflation or economic crises. This payment is designed to improve workers’ living standards and ensure a higher level of well-being.
According to TÜRK-İŞ’s July figures, the hunger threshold in Turkey, the amount a family of four needs to spend on food for a healthy and balanced diet, stood at TL 26,413 ($665), exceeding the current monthly minimum wage of TL 22,104 ($574). The poverty line, which includes additional expenses such as housing, transportation, clothing, education and healthcare, was calculated at TL 86,036 ($2,167).
Turkey is known for its relatively high percentage of the workforce making the minimum wage. Labor unions estimated that roughly half of all workers earn a wage similar to the minimum wage.
The Turkish economy has been plagued by high inflation, currency depreciation and a widening wealth gap. The Turkish lira has ranked among the worst-performing emerging market currencies in recent years, largely due to economic and monetary policy under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government.
In early July, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) reported an annual inflation rate of 35.05 percent for June, with a monthly increase of 1.37 percent. However, the independent Inflation Research Group (ENAG) estimated annual inflation at 68.68 percent and a monthly rise of 3.05 percent, nearly double the official figures.