Why is Turkey's labour record poor?
International reports place Turkey among the countries where labour rights violations are widespread. This assessment may seem distant and abstract. However, when considered alongside strike postponements, union difficulties, social security rights losses and weak oversight, a clear picture emerges. A country's labour record is not measured solely by its growth rates. The real measure is the worker's freedom of association, collective bargaining power, and the breadth of the social security net. If the right to strike cannot be exercised in practice, unionisation is becoming more difficult, pension conditions are becoming more severe, and job security is weakening, then the problem lies not in individual practices but in general policy choices. The labour record of the last 23 years under the current regime must be read within this framework.