The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has published its Global Rights Index 2025 report. The comprehensive report exposing violations of workers' rights worldwide highlights a deepening global crisis for workers and trade unions.
According to the report, the index shows that Europe and the Americas received their worst scores since 2014. It also points to serious regressions in fundamental freedoms such as freedom of expression, the right to assembly, collective bargaining, and the right to strike.
Only seven of the 151 countries scored the highest, while average country scores worsened in three out of five regions.
According to the report, the 10 worst countries for workers in 2025 are: Bangladesh, Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Myanmar, Nigeria, the Philippines, Tunisia, and Turkey.
Turkey among the worst 10 countries
In the ITUC Index, Turkey remained among the 10 worst countries for workers in 2025.
Accordingly, the violations occurring in Turkey are as follows:
- Mass dismissals are taking place due to union activities
- The right to collective bargaining is being obstructed
- Union members and leaders are being arbitrarily detained
The report recorded pressures faced by unions and their leaders:
- On May 1, 2024, more than 200 people who attempted to march to Taksim Square in İstanbul were detained.
- On May 2, another 29 people were arrested. Police intervened in the demonstrations with tear gas and rubber bullets.
- DİSK/Dev Sağlık-İş lost its right to collective bargaining through a decision that excluded its 10,000 members from representation.
- Memberships of many individuals, including DİSK Chair Arzu Çerkezoğlu, were arbitrarily revoked.
- DİSK Deputy Chair Remzi Çalışkan, Genel-İş Chair Kemal Göksoy, and former representative Serdar Ekingen were arrested on charges dating back 15 years.
- DİSK/Sosyal-İş member and collective bargaining expert İsmet Arslan was imprisoned while undergoing cancer treatment.
In March 2025, Arslan was released along with Eğitim-Sen members Yusuf Eminoğlu and Giyasettin Yiğit. However, their trials are still ongoing.
Global deterioration noted
The report emphasized the deepening of rights violations worldwide and drew attention to the following data:
- 72% of workers have no access to justice. This figure was 65% in 2024.
- The right to strike is violated in 87% of countries.
- The right to form unions is obstructed in 74%, and the right to collective bargaining in 80% of countries.
- Attacks on freedom of expression and assembly have reached a record high of 45%.
Call for global solidarity
In its published report, ITUC launched its “Democracy for a just future for all” campaign. It called on all unions for global solidarity against the pressure exerted by states and companies on workers' rights.
CLICK HERE: ITUC Global Rights Index 2025
(AB/DT)
