Türk Metal Union and MESS reach agreement in collective bargaining process covering 150,000 workers

In the 5 previous sessions of the collective bargaining negotiations, the proposals made by MESS were rejected by the Türk Metal Union, leading to a strike decision.

Following the strike decision, no results were achieved in the three subsequent sessions. The parties met again today at the MESS Headquarters and reached an agreement in the 2023-2025 term MESS Group Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations.

CONTRACT TERMS

The collective bargaining agreement terms announced by the Türk Metal Union are as follows:

• Hourly wages below 65 TL as of 31.8.2023 were raised to 65 TL. This regulation concerns 89,600 of our members.
• After the adjustment, a 32 percent raise was applied to the hourly wages of all our members.
• Following this, a flat raise of 30 TL/hour was applied to all our members.
• Subsequently, a raise of 2 TL/hour was applied for each year of seniority for all our members, limited to 15 years. This clause will be applied as of the initial employment date for those who retired under the EYT (Retirement Age) regulation.
• Thus, for the first six months of the contract, effective from 1.9.2023, an average total raise of 98 percent was applied.
• In the 2nd six months of the contract, wages were increased by an inflation-protected 30 percent, effective from March 1st.
• The 3rd six-month raise was determined as inflation plus a 3-point welfare share.
• The raise rate for the 4th six months was determined at the rate of inflation.
• The contract also introduced an increase in all social benefits by 140 percent for the first year and by the annual inflation rate for the second year.
• Overtime pay for national holidays and general public holidays was increased from 100 percent to 125 percent.
• Additionally, two days of circumcision leave were obtained, and kindergarten education was included in the scope of education assistance.
• It was decided to grant one day of paid leave to our disabled members on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
• Thus, we obtained the entirety of the adjustment clause in our draft, and 76 percent of the 80 percent raise we requested for the hourly wage, both as a percentage and as a flat rate.

We obtained 2 TL of the 3 TL seniority raise we requested in our draft.

In cumulative terms, we achieved an average increase of 105.1 percent for the first six months, including social benefits, and an average increase of 157.40 percent in hourly wages annually."

"THE ECONOMIC BOTTLENECK OUR COUNTRY IS IN HAS MOST AFFECTED THOSE WHO LIVE BY THEIR LABOR"

TÜRK-İŞ Deputy Chairman and Türk Metal Union Chairman Pevrul Kavlak, in his statement after the agreement, said, "We kept our promise to our members; in the 100th year of our Republic, we have made history again with an increase exceeding 100 percent for the first six months."

Kavlak stated, "The economic bottleneck our country is in has most affected those who live by their labor. The rising cost of living in the face of increasing inflation has caused our people, especially wage earners, to experience great financial hardship. During such a period, we fought at the table so that the metal workers we represent could lead a life worthy of human dignity. We made an effort to protect the sweat of the brow that our members entrusted to our union, and not to compromise on the rights and freedoms of labor and justice in working life. This situation we have reached in the collective agreement is a new victory for Türk Metal. I wish it to be auspicious for all our members," he said.