Extended Summary

The Temel Conta strike is one of the most significant examples of the struggle for trade union rights in Turkey. The strike, which lasted 595 days, attracted public attention not only because of its duration but also because of the leading role played by women workers throughout the resistance. Initiated by 16 workers organized under the Petrol-İş Union at the Temel Conta factory in Kemalpaşa, İzmir, the strike evolved into a broader struggle highlighting the gap between the legal recognition and the effective exercise of trade union rights.
This study aims to examine the Temel Conta strike within the context of trade union rights and freedoms in Turkey. The research was designed as a qualitative case study. Data were collected through document analysis, observation, a focus group interview with ten striking workers (seven women and three men), and follow-up interviews with the union lawyer and the workplace union representative. The documents examined included press releases, newspaper articles, social media posts, and legal documents related to the strike process.
The findings show that the workers successfully completed the legal unionization process and obtained the union’s collective bargaining authority. However, the employer challenged the certification process, refused to participate in collective bargaining and mediation negotiations, and thereby prevented the bargaining process from functioning effectively. During the strike, workers were subjected to various anti-union practices, including strike-breaking, intimidation, pressure, threats of dismissal, poor working conditions, and verbal and physical violence. The study also found that women workers played a central role in organizing and sustaining the strike. Their active participation not only strengthened workplace solidarity but also transformed family and community support into a broader network of social solidarity, reinforcing both class consciousness and collective resistance.
The analysis further demonstrates that strike-breaking practices continued throughout the strike despite administrative sanctions and legal proceedings. Production was partially relocated to another factory, work previously carried out by striking workers was assigned to other employees, and the workplace was eventually moved to a new production site while the strike was still ongoing. Although the court later ruled that the employer had engaged in strike-breaking practices, these legal decisions did not result in the effective protection of workers’ trade union rights.
On 27 July 2026, the workers announced the end of the strike without achieving their fundamental demands or signing a collective bargaining agreement. The Temel Conta strike therefore illustrates that the legal recognition of trade union rights alone is insufficient to guarantee their effective exercise. Despite the judicial confirmation of strike-breaking practices, the absence of effective enforcement and protection mechanisms prevented workers from obtaining concrete gains. The findings underline the need to strengthen institutional mechanisms capable of ensuring the effective implementation of trade union rights and safeguarding the right to strike in practice.