Turkey's Labor Minister Vedat Işıkhan Questioned Over Union Barriers

Members of the Turkish parliament from the Emek Party (EMEP) and the YENİ Party submitted questions to Labour and Social Security Minister Vedat Işıkhan about the low level of unionisation in Turkey and the legal obstacles that limit workers’ right to organise. The EMEP deputies cited ministry data showing that out of 17.43 million registered workers only about 2.43 million are union members, a 13.96 % overall rate, and roughly 6‑7 % in the private sector. They highlighted that of the 246 recognised workers’ unions, 186 cannot pass the sectoral‑barrier (“işkolu barajı”) needed to obtain collective bargaining rights.

YENİ Party Zonguldak MP Deniz Yavuzyılmaz pointed out that the Independent Mining Workers Union (Bağımsız Maden‑İş Sendikası) has now reached 2,369 members, surpassing the ministry‑set sectoral threshold of 1,965 members. He urged the minister to ensure that the union’s right to register and operate is respected and not impeded by new administrative hurdles.