Organised labour is the only winner
Days before the metalworkers' strike, a contract covering more than 150,000 workers was signed. Average worker wages will increase by 28.10 per cent in the first six months. The workers' slogan, ‘We are stronger against the bosses with our union,’ proved to be true.
Labour Service
A collective labour agreement affecting 150,000 workers in the metal sector has been signed. The Metal Employers' Union (MESS), backed by the AKP regime, once again failed to break the workers' resolve. The determination to strike demonstrated last year, despite the strike bans, was a key factor in MESS returning to the negotiating table.
As is known, the unions first sat down with MESS on 13 October 2025. When no agreement was reached at the fifth meeting on 8 December, a record of disagreement was drawn up; on 20 January, a strike was called to begin 10 days later.
On Wednesday, MESS called the unions back to the table. The meeting, which began at 2 p.m., lasted 10 hours. After the meeting, the managements of Türk Metal, Özçelik-İş and Birleşik Metal-İş signed the agreement.
IF WE WIN, ALL WORKERS WIN
United Metal-İş workers, who have been on strike in every factory for about two months, were the most important support against MESS. Özkan Atar, President of United Metal-İş, who did not give up the resistance despite the strike ban during last year's negotiations and managed to sign a collective agreement, said, ‘We won by resisting.’
Speaking to BirGün, Atar said, "When we sat down at the table, our goal was the poverty line in terms of workers' living conditions. As you know, that is over 90,000 lira. Wages for senior workers (8-10-15 years) have reached that level. For our newly hired colleagues with the lowest wages, we aimed to reach a wage level equivalent to two minimum wages, and we have largely achieved these goals.”
Noting that the signatures were signed under the threat of a strike ban, Özkan Atar said, “As you may recall, when MESS sat down at the table, they not only refused to grant the workers' rights but also set their sights on our already acquired rights. At this point, social rights items such as the monthly fuel allowance, annual leave allowance, holiday allowances, education allowance, and birth and death allowances have been increased by 50 per cent on an annual basis. The Eid al-Adha allowance has been increased by 75 per cent. This is the result of the struggle and determined stance”.
Atar concluded his remarks as follows: “Metal workers have achieved an increase of over 45 per cent annually. This success will form the basis for the next struggle. I greet all workers on behalf of United Metal Workers.‘ The Turkish Metal Workers' Union, which sat at the table on behalf of 130,000 workers, announced the signed collective agreement on its website under the headline ’Victory belongs to Turkish Metal Workers.”
METAL WORKERS LEAD THE WAY
From the moment the table was set up in the metal sector, the United Metal Workers' Union took action. In every factory where they were organised and covered by the agreement, they staged one-hour work stoppages on specific days of the week during shift hours. They did not work overtime; the factory entrances and interiors became the scene of action. This determination alone was enough to unsettle the employer; production losses began as early as October. The union's step-by-step escalation of action contributed significantly to the collective agreement signed today.
The gains of metal workers in Turkey have always shown the way for the working class. Although the minimum wage increase and the wage protocol signed by public sector workers dampened morale among labourers, metal workers once again came to the rescue. It was proven once again that workers, drawing their strength from being organised, can overcome any difficulty. Yesterday morning, metal workers spoke out again in front of the factories: Organised workers are unbeatable!
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DETAILS OF THE AGREEMENT
Our collective bargaining agreement is a two-year agreement. MESS withdrew its three-year offer. It withdrew all offers that would take away other acquired rights.
First 6 Months: 28.1% wage increase. Including social rights, this rate rises to 31.5%.
Second 6 Months (1 March): The wage increase will be implemented at 45%.
Social Benefits: Increases ranging from 50% to 75% have been secured.
With this outcome, the average wage of a metalworker as of 1 September 2025 will be 71,000 TL (including bonuses and fuel allowance). With the second 6-month increase on 1 March, this figure will rise to 79,500 TL (net).
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Tek kazanan örgütlü emek, published in BirGün newspaper on January 23, 2026.
