Public sector industrial relations on the eve of mass privatization in Turkey

This paper examines public sector industrial relations and employment practices in Turkey in the light of the privatization programme under way since 1984. It starts by discussing how the system of public sector industrial relations was prepared for privatization during the 1980s, with major changes in trade union structure, collective bargaining and employment patterns. Actual privatization has so far been limited and has therefore not in itself had a major impact on industrial relations. However, the new Government which took office in June 1993, intends to accelerate the pace of privatization. -Authors