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Turkey: Country Study 2016

The garment industry is Turkey’s second largest industry, and is responsible for a large proportion of Turkey’s total exports. The European Union is the largest purchaser of Turkish garment. Small and medium-sized factories with a wide sub-contractor chain dominate the industry, with the working conditions deteriorating down the supply chain. Therefore, although the industry is familiar with international workplace standards and the audits of international buyers, improvements are still needed in many aspects of labour conditions. The issue of unregistered employment is a growing concern throughout the garment industry. It is estimated that almost 70% of the total workforce in the sector is unregistered. These results in workers whare unable tassert their rights tsocial security, job security, freedom of association and right tcollective bargaining. In addition tunregistered employment, the current regulations in Turkey make unionisation a challenge. Although Turkey has ratified the relevant ILConventions, the country has been criticised by ILand the European Union for not complying with international standards on freedom of association and the right tcollective bargaining. A new Act on Trade Unions and Collective Labour Agreements was adopted and took effect in 2012, but the law continues to tbe problematic when it comes tcompliance with ILstandards. The Wager Level in the Garment Industry is Complicated Tprovide Workers with a Living Wager. Although Turkey has the highest minimum wage among FWF priority countries, the legal minimum wage, which can be considered the industry’s average wage, is about 28% of the living wage estimates of local stakeholders.

Scope: 54 pages
Reference: free of charge for download at fairwear.org