August to be hit by strike wave: workers’ patience has run out
Following the breakdown in negotiations over the public sector framework protocol covering 600,000 workers, strike announcements are coming one after another. Strike notices have been posted at State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) workplaces, with TES-İŞ stating, “We expect seriousness from the government.”
BirGün / Ankara
The country is entering August under a wave of strikes. Collective bargaining negotiations covering around 600,000 public sector workers have stalled, the government has withdrawn its wage offer, and strike decisions have been made. For the first time in years, Türk-İş has placed strike on the agenda and announced that workers will go on strike in dozens of public institutions starting in August.
The last offer announced by Minister of Labour and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan proposed a 24% pay rise for the first six months and increases based on actual inflation in subsequent periods. Although unions responded cautiously, the offer was later withdrawn. While it is claimed that the Ministry of Treasury and Finance objected to the raise, no official explanation was provided. The rate for the second six-month period was reduced to 11%. This move drew strong reactions from both union circles and the workers themselves. Last night, the Turkish Heavy Industry and Service Sector Public Employers' Union (TÜHİS) submitted its official proposal in the negotiations. As expected, the offer included a 24% increase for the first six months, followed by 11%, 10%, and 6% increases for the following three six-month periods.
Today, Türk-İş will hold a press conference with workers and share documents showing how the government later withdrew its offer. If no agreement is reached, Türk-İş and its affiliated unions are also considering a sit-in at Güvenpark in Ankara.
With strike notices now announced, many workplaces will begin striking in the first week of August. On 1 August, 2,100 workers at Eti Maden will strike, followed by 7,800 miners in Zonguldak on 2 August. Strike notices have also been posted at 486 workplaces where Yol-İş is organised. In the energy sector, TES-İŞ has posted strike notices at DSİ and affiliated workplaces. On 7 August, workers at Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) are preparing to strike, and from 8 August, workplaces under the Ministry of Youth and Sports will follow.
TES-İŞ stated, “We expect the government to show the same care, sensitivity and seriousness in the collective bargaining process that the unions have shown.” The statement added that reducing the proposed offer would condemn workers to poverty in the face of the rising cost of living: “A strike decision was taken on 28 July for DSİ and affiliated workplaces, which are not subject to a strike ban in our sector. We have not received the wage increase we requested for a dignified life that reflects the value of our labour.”
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Ağustos’u grev dalgası vuracak: Emeğin sabrı taştı, published in BirGün newspaper on July 30, 2025.
