Arzu Çerkezoğlu: DİSK’s Dev Sağlık‑İş Clears Union Threshold

The Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) and its health‑social services affiliate Dev Sağlık‑İş announced that they have exceeded the sectoral membership threshold required to be recognised as the bargaining union for health and social‑service workers. According to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s data, the sector comprises roughly 814,000 employees and the legally set baraj is 8,144 members. As of 8 July, Dev Sağlık‑İş reported 8,281 members, surpassing the baraj by 137 workers.

Union leaders Arzu Çerkezoğlu, who heads both DİSK and Dev Sağlık‑İş, said at a press conference in front of the ministry: “We have reached 8,281 members, surpassing the baraj. We will apply to the ministry for collective‑bargaining authority and aim to negotiate agreements at workplaces such as Dicle University Hospital.” The union plans to submit its request for recognition and to negotiate collective contracts across public, university, private hospitals and other health‑care institutions, stressing that the achievement benefits thousands of families of health‑service workers.