Less than 15% workers in Turkey unionized, ministry reveals

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In Turkey, only 2,421,940 out of the total 16,413,359 workers are affiliated with labor unions, highlighting that over 85% of registered employees lack union representation, as per the data recently released by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.

Compared to the data from January 2023, figures reveal an increase of 249,000 in the overall number of workers, with an additional 90,952 individuals joining unions during this period.

At the beginning of the year, there were 16,163,549 workers, with a unionization rate standing at 14.42%. However, the recent data indicates that the unionization rate has slightly risen to 14.76%, showing a modest growth in union membership.

The ranking of the largest unions has also witnessed a change with the latest figures. While Turkish Metal Union previously held the top position with 258,928 members in January, it has now taken the second place. The union currently has 268,385 members. Surging ahead, Hizmet-İş Union has claimed the leading spot with a membership of 276,364 workers. (HA/VK)