DİSK President Çerkezoğlu to Speak at ITUC Global Rights Index Meeting

ANKARA – The grim picture of Turkey's trade union rights and worker freedoms is once again being brought to the international stage. Arzu Çerkezoğlu, President of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), is set to deliver a crucial speech at the launch meeting of the 2025 Global Rights Index, prepared by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the world's largest trade union organization.

Turkey Again Among the "Worst Countries for Workers" in 2025

The ITUC's recently released and highly impactful report revealed that Turkey has maintained its negative trend since 2014, once again ranking among the "worst 10 countries" for workers' rights in 2025. According to DİSK's announcement, President Arzu Çerkezoğlu's speech at this meeting aims to draw international attention to Turkey's chronic problems in the field of trade union rights.

Çerkezoğlu's Sharp Criticism on Three Main Points: Union Hostility, Collective Bargaining Obstacles, and Imprisoned Trade Unionists

The focal points of Arzu Çerkezoğlu's speech will be three fundamental issues highlighted by DİSK:

• Union Hostility: Hostile attitudes displayed by employers and some public authorities against trade union organizing in Turkey restrict workers' freedom to unionize. This situation hinders workers' pursuit of their rights and fuels unregistered unionization or the fear of organizing.
• Collective Bargaining Obstacles: Obstacles encountered in collective bargaining processes, which guarantee workers' rights and improve working conditions, constitute a critical point of the report. Cases such as the dismissal of Hak-İş members and the denial of representation rights to DİSK/Dev Sağlık-İş members in collective bargaining negotiations exemplify this situation.
• Imprisoned Trade Unionists: The existence of trade unionists arrested or prosecuted for their union activities demonstrates the extent to which trade union freedoms are suppressed in Turkey. This situation affects how unionists perform their duties and creates a deterrent effect on the freedom of association.

Turkey's Labor Rights Report Card in the International Arena

The ITUC Global Rights Index, which documents labor rights violations worldwide, reveals how far Turkey's situation in this field deviates from global norms. DİSK President Arzu Çerkezoğlu's speech on this international platform holds great importance for making the voice of the labor movement in Turkey heard by a wider audience and for increasing international solidarity. The meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 10, at 14:30 (TRT) and can be followed via the relevant link.

This meeting and the subsequent announcements are expected to increase international pressure on Turkey regarding trade union rights and trigger new discussions for taking steps to resolve these issues in domestic politics.