İstanbul Italian High School teachers end four-month strike with victory
The 123-day strike staged by teachers over wages and working conditions at the private Italian High School in Beyoğlu, İstanbul, has ended after the school administration accepted the teachers' demands.
The teachers, all Turkish citizens, went on strike due to the massive pay gap compared to their Italian colleagues.
The Tez-Koop-İş union said the school administration signed the official protocols required for the official and legal termination of the strike and forwarded them to the union and the Labor Ministry.
As the strike ended, teachers gathered in front of the school for the last time today, danced halay, and distributed lokma to mark their victory.
Reactions from teachers
"They said nothing would change here, there would be no raise," said Başak Baysallı, a Turkish language and literature teacher. "We went on strike and we won."
Fırat Aydın, another Turkish language teacher, said they experienced the excitement of returning to their classrooms after the strike.
Aydın addressed teachers working in the private sector, saying, "We are not helpless, we are powerful when we come together, we are powerful when we are organized. To be together and raise our voice, we must become union members without wasting any time."
Aydın conveyed his feelings of solidarity to the workers from various sectors who have staged strikes recently.
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'The agreement sets a precedent'
Selahattin Karakurt, head of the İstanbul Branch No. 5 of the Tez-Koop-İş Union, said the 123-day strike was the "great and unshakable victory of the teachers."
The compromise reached concerns not only wages but also working conditions and professional status, said Karakurt.
"With the compromise reached, we have achieved an agreement that sets a precedent, ending discrimination at the school and guaranteeing our financial rights.
"Turkish teachers at this school now have working conditions at international standards and an equitable additional course system.
"As a result of these tough negotiations, our working conditions have been made fair and suitable for professional standards, and the institutional and professional status deserved by our labor has been secured. We did not just sign a wage contract, we established justice, equality, and our professional dignity at this school."
Karakurt stated that the strike also sets an important example for teachers working in the private sector and called on all teachers to join union organization.
Teachers working in private schools in Turkey generally receive significantly lower salaries compared to public schools.
The agreement
The gains achieved by the teachers through the collective bargaining agreement were announced as follows:
Effective Jan 1, 2026, a 25 percent raise will be applied to salaries in euros. An increase of 5 percent each will be applied for the years 2027 and 2028. (The initial offer of the school management was a 12 percent raise for 2026 and 0 raise for 2027)
Contracts based on salary in return for 40 weekly lessons will now be arranged based on 20 lessons.
Lessons exceeding 20 hours will be paid as additional lesson fees.
An additional lesson fee for up to 4 hours per week will be paid for school monitoring duties.
In December of 2026, 2027, and 2028, teachers will be paid an additional salary, namely a 13th salary, in an amount 25 percent higher compared to the last received salary.
For compensation purposes regarding the year 2025, teachers will receive two additional salary payments in the amount of the last gross salary received in that year.
Teachers will be given a "Sodexo-type teacher card" worth a net 1,200 euros for the year 2026. This amount will be increased by 5 percent in 2027 and 2028.
In the event that a teacher is dismissed without just cause or valid reason and the reinstatement lawsuit concludes in favor of the teacher, an additional compensation in the amount of 16 months' salary will be paid.
(HA/VK)
