The Turkish Metalworkers’ Union (Turk Metal) and Turkish Employers’ Association of Metal Industries (MESS) struck a collective bargaining agreement on Jan 28 after prolonged negotiatons. The deal will impact around 200 enterprises and almost 130,000 metal workers.
Under the terms of the agreement, which will be reviewed after two years, Mess has agreed to increase wages by 18.49pc in the first six months followed by a 25.5pc increase within the first year of the agreement. The health insurance benefits given by employers to workers remain unchanged from the previous agreement.
Turkish metal workers constitute almost a quarter of the Turkish manufacturing sectors and contribute around $30 billion to the country’s economy.