Turkey - Major pay rise in metal industry - January 31, 2026

After months of negotiations in the metal industry, tens of thousands of workers secured major gains, with average increases of 31.15% in the first six months and 47.81% in the first year of the 2025–2027 agreement. The group negotiation were kicked off between three unions, Türk Metal, Birleşik Metal-İş, Özçelik-İş and the Turkish Metal Industries Employers' Association (MESS) on 13 October 2025. Following multiple sessions, without a positive outcome, a statement of disagreement was drawn up in December and the three unions decided to go on strike on 20 January this year. Immediately after the strike decision, the three unions received an invitation from MESS, which started 21 January and ended on 22 January 2026 with a victory for metal workers.

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For more information, please contact Paul de Beer or Oana Ciuca, De Burcht (Scientific Bureau for the Dutch Trade Union Movement) p.t.debeer@uva.nl or the Head of communications at the ETUI, Mehmet Koksal mkoksal@etui.org. For previous full issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit https://www.etui.org/Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter or consult the archive with all articles in our database at www.cbnarchive.eu. You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org.