Ankara — Trade Union of Journalists, Publishing House and Printing House Workers of Türkiye (DİSK Basın-İş) prepared a comprehensive legislative amendment proposal and submitted it to the political parties that have a parliamentary group and representation in the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye to safeguard the rights of freelance workers whose numbers are rapidly increasing but who lack legal status and social security in the media and journalism sectors.

The details of the bill were announced to the public at a press conference held in the meeting hall of the Sosyal-İş Union headquarters, which is affiliated with DİSK. Derya Okatan read the press statement at a meeting attended by DİSK Basın-İş President Turgut Dedeoğlu, Disciplinary Board Members Diren Yurtsever and Derya Okatan, and Freelance Commission Member Attorney Zeki Avcı.

“24/7 WORK SHIFTS IMPOSED UNDER THE GUISE OF FLEXIBILITY!”

The statement outlined the grounds for the bill prepared based on the outcomes of the Freelance Labor Workshop held in Istanbul on September 27–28, 2025. Stating that rhetoric regarding “self-employment” or a “boss-free work life” serves as a cover for precariousness, Okatan emphasized that the current system imposes a 24/7 work schedule on freelancers under the guise of flexibility and exempts employers from fundamental human and legal responsibilities.

THE DISTURBING PICTURE OF THE SECTOR: 88% OF WORKERS LACK SOCIAL SECURITY COVERAGE

Citing the released data, Okatan emphasized that 88% of workers in the culture, arts, and media sectors are employed without any social security coverage, insurance, or union rights. She noted that workers who provide continuous and intensive labor to certain organizations are deprived of their rights to seniority and job security, and that wages are being driven down to rock bottom due to the lack of a minimum wage.

A 3-STEP APPROACH INSPIRED BY INTERNATIONAL MODELS

Adapted to conditions in Türkiye based on successful practices in France, Germany, and Spain, the bill prepared by the DİSK Basın-İş Freelance Commission rests on three fundamental pillars:

— Mandatory Written Contract and Registration Platform (“TRADE” Model from Spain): Preventing the informal economy and mandating contracts through a system integrated with e-Devlet and the Revenue Administration (GİB).

— Minimum Wage and Presumption of Continuous Employment (“Pigiste” Model from France): Establishing minimum wage standards and recognizing the presumption of employment for freelancers who engage in continuous production at a single or predominant organization.

— Tripartite-Funded Social Security Fund (“KSK” Model from Germany): Ensuring that the social security and retirement rights of freelancers are safeguarded through a special fund established with contributions from the government, employers, and employees.

A CALL FOR THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF TURKIYE AND THE PUBLIC

The statement, which noted that the bill containing the necessary minimum provisions for the Labor Law, the Press Labor Law, the Trade Union Act and the Law of Social Insurance had been submitted to all political parties in the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, concluded with the following remarks:

“In Türkiye, basic workers’ rights for free press workers fall short of human dignity. A free press can only be achieved through press, publishing, and journalism workers whose rights have been recognized. We submit the bill we have drafted to the public and the parliament for their consideration.”

The full statement:

At the Freelance Labor Workshop organized in Istanbul on September 27–28, 2025, by our union, DİSK Basın-İş, we comprehensively identified the severe conditions of exploitation faced by freelancers working in the sector, as well as the sector-specific challenges.

The freelance work model, which is presented today with fancy terms like “self-employment” or “a boss-free work life,” is essentially a guise devised by the neoliberal system to render workers insecure and avoid labor costs. Under the guise of flexibility, this system imposes 24/7 work and completely absolves employers of their fundamental obligations.

In Türkiye, fundamental workers’ rights, especially for freelance workers in the press, publishing, and journalism sector (Industry Group No. 08)—lag far behind contemporary standards and human dignity. Due to the narrow scope of legal definitions, freelance workers have been pushed into a legal vacuum and a state of complete lack of legal status.

Whereas, this issue is addressed through legal safeguards both globally and in Europe. In France, the “pigiste” system ensures national minimum rates and an automatic presumption of employment status for journalists. Germany has established sectoral social security funds via the “KSK” model, while Spain has introduced the “TRADE” status, mandating written contracts and registration. However, in our country, there is no legal status or safeguard for freelance media workers.

Currently, freelance workers in Türkiye are facing extremely harsh conditions. In the absence of minimum rates, they are condemned to a race to the bottom in wages and arbitrary payments. 88% of workers in the culture, arts, and media sectors are forced to work without any social security coverage, insurance, or union rights. Even more alarmingly, many freelancers, despite actually earning their income through consistent and intensive work at a few specific clients, receive no recognition for the regular labor they provide to these clients or the seniority they have built up; a situation emerges in which their previous work is disregarded entirely when they are unable to secure new assignments.

We have prepared concrete legislative proposals to resolve this crisis and ensure freelance workers secure their rights. We drafted legislation proposing a Mandatory Written Contract and Registration Platform, integrated with e-Devlet and the Revenue Administration (GİB) and modeled after Spain’s TRADE system; a Minimum Wage and Presumption of Continuous Employment, modeled after the French system; and a Tripartite Funded Social Security Fund, modeled after Germany’s KSK system; to be financed through contributions from the state, employers, and workers. Through a three-phase regulatory framework tailored to Türkiye, we have created a foundation where freelance workers, who are often treated as self-employed, in the media, publishing, and journalism sectors, can acquire various rights based on the intensity of their labor.

We hereby submit this bill for the public’s consideration; which contains targeted, minimal amendments to the Labor Law, the Press Labor Law, the Trade Unions Act, and the Law of Social Insurance, and which we have presented to all political parties we were able to reach in the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye.

A free press can only be achieved through press, publishing, and journalism workers whose rights have been recognized.