TES-İŞ Union Decides to Strike at DSİ and Affiliated Workplaces

Ankara - The deadlock in the public sector collective bargaining process continues to push labor unions to take strike action. The Turkish Energy, Water and Gas Workers Union (TES-İŞ) announced that it has decided to strike on July 28, 2025 for the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) and affiliated workplaces. The statement published under the title "We Respect Labor and Demand Our Rights" harshly criticized the government's attitude at the collective bargaining table. It was stated that the strike decision will be announced at the workplaces on Tuesday, July 29 and the day and time of implementation will be announced separately.

The Deadlock in Negotiations and the Government's "Withdrawal" Debate

TES-İŞ Union stated that they approached the public collective bargaining process with great seriousness and diligence and submitted their offer to the employer on February 27, 2025. Despite months of negotiations, the government made an initial offer of 16%, which the union said was "unacceptable."

It was reported that following mass press releases, refusals to leave workplaces and one-day work stoppages organized under the umbrella of Türk-İş, a third offer came from the government. This proposal envisages a 24% raise for the first six months of the first year and a raise for the following months at the rate of realized inflation. It was also noted that there were additional clauses such as a 7% bonus according to the nature and difficulty of the work, a raise of 7% for wages below 1400 TL/day to 1400 TL/day, a 40 TL/day diluted increase for those earning above 1400 TL/day, and a 3.68% increase for employees within the scope of March contracts to compensate for inflation-related losses.

However, TES-İŞ emphasized that although this third offer created an expectation that the negotiations would end at the table, the discussions about the withdrawal of the "realized inflation" offer, which was also announced to the public by the government for the second six months of the first year, dragged the process back into an environment of uncertainty. "The reduction of the raise valid for the second six months from 16.67% to 11% shows that even the "realized inflation" announced by TÜİK, which is lower than the actual inflation, is deemed too much for the workers," the statement said, claiming that despite the government's promise of "not crushing workers against inflation", the opposite attitude was displayed.

"Disregard for the Dignity of Labor": Emphasis on Strike Decision

TES-İŞ Union stated that they expect the same care, sensitivity and seriousness from the government as the unions have shown to the collective bargaining process. "To pull down a proposal is to condemn laborers to poverty in the face of the cost of living. It is to disregard the labor and honor of the energy workers who serve their citizens day and night, earthquake, flood, natural disasters and in very dangerous conditions."

Because the situation has come to this point, it was announced that the General Headquarters Board of Directors decided to strike on July 28, 2025 for DSİ and its affiliated workplaces, which are outside the strike ban in the line of business as required by legal regulations. The union said, "Despite all our good intentions, we have not been able to get the raise we demand for a decent living wage, which is the equivalent of the sweat of our brow. Our demands continue."

The statement concluded with the words "OUR STRIKE DECISION IS A LEGAL PROCESS, BUT IT ALSO DEMONSTRATES OUR DETERMINATION. WE WILL BE THE WINNER AT THE END OF THIS STRUGGLE WHICH WE WILL CONTINUE WITH OUR MEMBERS, SHOULDING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER, WITH DETERMINATION", and a message of solidarity was given with the slogans "LONG LIVE TES-İŞ! LONG LIVE TÜRK-İŞ! LONG LIVE OUR STRUGGLE!"

TES-İŞ's decision to strike has exacerbated tensions in the public sector collective bargaining process, with other unions expected to take similar steps.