ISIG Assembly Announced: At Least 192 Workers Lost Their Lives in August, Death toll Reached 1359 in the First Eight Months of the Year

ANKARA - Worker Health and Worker Safety (ISIG) Assembly published the August 2025 report on work murders. According to the report, at least 192 workers lost their lives in August, while the total number of workplace murders in the first eight months of the year reached 1359. The report drew attention to the causes of worker deaths, their distribution by sectors and the precarious working conditions of workers.

Data on August Work Killings

The DISIG Assembly compiled the data from national and local press, friends and families of workers, occupational safety experts and trade unions. It was stated that the majority of the 192 workers who lost their lives in August worked in sectors where precarious working conditions are common.

• Sectoral Breakdown: Most deaths occurred in industry (60 workers), agriculture (45 workers), construction (44 workers) and services (43 workers). It was pointed out that the industrial sector covers many business sectors.

• Causes of Death: While traffic/service accidents (39 workers) ranked first, falls from height (32 workers) ranked second and crushing/transport accidents (31 workers) ranked third. It was stated that 70% of traffic accidents occur in agriculture and transportation sectors and 66% of falls from height occur in the construction sector.

• Geographical Distribution: The highest number of workplace homicides occurred in Istanbul (20 deaths), followed by Antalya (9), Sivas (8), Giresun (7), Balıkesir, Kahramanmaraş, Muğla and Samsun (6 deaths each).

• Age Groups: At least 13 child laborers (6 aged 14 and under, 7 aged 15-17) lost their lives in August. Six of the child laborers were working in the agricultural sector.

• Gender Breakdown: 19 of those who lost their lives in occupational homicides were women workers. Eleven out of eleven women workers were reported to be employed in the agricultural sector.

• Migrant Workers: At least 6 migrant workers (3 Syrian, 1 Afghan, 1 Iranian, 1 Turkmenistani) lost their lives in workplace homicides.

• Union Status: Only 4 (2.08%) of the workers who lost their lives were union members, while 188 (97.92%) were non-union members.

Overview of the First Eight Months of the Year

The distribution of occupational homicides by month in the first eight months of 2025 is as follows:

• January: 180 workers

• February: 124 workers

• March: 159 workers

• April: 156 workers

• May: 178 workers

• June: 164 workers

• July: 206 workers

• August: 192 workers In total, 1359 workers lost their lives.

At the beginning of the report, the DISIG Assembly sent a message of solidarity, saluting the many unions and groups of workers who have been in resistance or whose resistance has ended with gains in the last month.