A yearly report by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) on labor rights has once again ranked Turkey as one of the 10 worst countries in the world for working people.
According to the Brussels-based ITUC, working conditions in Turkey in 2024 were comparable to such countries as Bangladesh, Belarus, Myanmar and Nigeria. Moreover, workers’ freedoms and rights continued to be relentlessly denied with police crackdowns on protests, while strikes and attempts to unionize were prevented by authorities
The report included examples where union representatives were arrested. Remzi Çalışkan, chairman of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), and Kemal Göksoy and Serdar Ekingen also from DİSK were arrested in November 2024 for alleged “terrorist activities.” Çalışkan was released a month later pending trial, while the other two remain in prison.
Allegations against the three unionists were based on anonymous witness testimonies that were later discredited. International trade unions and members of the European Parliament such as Nacho Sánchez Amor have called for their release.
The report also mentioned that DİSK member and collective bargaining expert Ismet Arslan was arrested while undergoing treatment for cancer in October 2024. Arslan was released pending trial in March 2025.
According to the Health and Safety Labor Watch (İSİG), Turkey faced a troubling year for labor rights in 2024. Workers have been pressured to cut ties with their union, and there have been instances where workers have been subjected to police brutality during demonstrations.
Moreover, workers have continued to suffer from lax safety standards, with at least 1,897 workers losing their lives in job-related accidents.
