DİSK-AR reveals what lies beneath: Unemployment at pandemic-era levels!
According to DİSK-AR data, the number of broad-defined unemployed in Turkey has reached 11.5 million. It was stated that this figure has increased by 1 million 782 thousand people in the last year. This level was last seen during the pandemic period.
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The Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey Research Center (DİSK-AR) has published its Unemployment and Employment Outlook Report. The report, shared following the release of TURKSTAT's December 2024 Labor Force Statistics, revealed a painful picture.
According to the report, the number of broad-defined unemployed in Turkey has reached 11.5 million. It was reported that the number of broad-defined unemployed has increased by 1 million 782 thousand people in the last year. This situation was last seen during the peak of the pandemic.
The report included the following information:
“The number of broad-defined unemployed is 11.5 million. In December 2024, the broad-defined unemployment rate was 28.2 percent. Approximately 5 million people are ready to work but have given up looking for a job. Broad-defined unemployment rates are trending close to pandemic-era levels. Broad-defined female unemployment is 37.2 percent. Only about 2 out of every 10 unemployed people can benefit from unemployment benefits.
The results of TURKSTAT's December 2024 Household Labor Force Survey were published on February 10, 2025. The seasonally adjusted narrow-defined unemployment rate was calculated at 8.5 percent, while the seasonally adjusted broad-defined unemployment rate (labor underutilization) was calculated at 28.2 percent. According to TURKSTAT, the number of narrow-defined unemployed (seasonally adjusted) among people aged 15 and over across Turkey was 3 million 26 thousand in December 2024.
According to the calculation made by DİSK-AR using TURKSTAT data, the seasonally adjusted number of broad-defined unemployed was 11 million 476 thousand people in December 2024.
'RETURNED TO THE DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC'
The gap between broad-defined unemployment and narrow-defined unemployment is widening. Broad-defined unemployment has returned to the pandemic days when unemployment was experienced intensely. The broad-defined unemployment rate has reached its highest level since January 2021. The unemployment rate, which was 29 percent in January 2021, reached 28.2 percent in November and December 2024, approaching the unemployment rate of the pandemic days.
According to the data published by TURKSTAT, the increase in broad-defined unemployment (labor underutilization) continued in December 2024. The number of broad-defined unemployed increased by 1 million 782 thousand people in the last year. The reason for the increase in the number of broad-defined unemployed is the increase in time-related underemployment, discouraged unemployed, and the number of potential labor force, which includes those who are not looking for work but are ready to work, and those who are looking for work but cannot start working immediately.
In all four types of unemployment announced by TURKSTAT, female unemployment is significantly higher than male unemployment. In December 2024, the seasonally adjusted narrow-defined unemployment rate was 6.9 percent for men and 11.4 percent for women. Broad-defined unemployment (labor underutilization) was calculated as 22.8 percent for men and 37.2 percent for women. The difference between broad-defined female unemployment and broad-defined male unemployment is 14.4 percentage points."