Swatch Employees in Turkey Announce Strike Over Pay and Rights

Workers at Swatch Group’s stores across Turkey are preparing to go on strike this Monday after unsuccessful negotiations over pay and workers’ rights. The industrial action will affect 16 directly operated Swatch stores, as well as two Omega stores, in major cities including Istanbul, Ankara, and Antalya. This marks the first major labor action against the Swiss watchmaker in Turkey.

According to the union representing the workers, approximately 150 employees will participate in the strike, which also extends to Swatch’s country office in Istanbul. The union, Koop-Is, called off negotiations with Swatch management after failing to reach an agreement that satisfies employees’ demands for better compensation.

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Pay Dispute Fueled by High Inflation

The strike highlights the broader issue of rising living costs in Turkey, where inflation reached 33% year-on-year by October 2025. Swatch employees, facing the soaring cost of living, had requested significant pay increases to maintain their purchasing power.

However, Swatch’s proposed pay rises—25% for store employees and 5–15% for office staff—were deemed insufficient by the workers. The union described these offers as “far below workers’ expectations”. In response, Swatch Group called the union’s demands “unrealistically high and totally exaggerated”, emphasizing the company’s stance that the requests were beyond what is feasible.

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Union Demands Extend Beyond Pay

While salary increases are the primary focus, the union has also requested structural changes to ensure fair treatment and equal benefits for employees. Specifically, the demands include:

• The creation of disciplinary boards to prevent arbitrary dismissal of staff.
• Equal access to bonuses, social benefits, and other workplace entitlements.

Eyup Alemdar, president of Koop-Is, stated:
“Our union has made every effort to achieve a fair agreement that protects the rights and welfare of all Swatch Group Türkiye employees. But the company’s proposals were unfair, discriminatory, and far below workers’ expectations. We are left with no choice but to strike.”

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Swatch Group’s Global Context

While Swatch does not publicly disclose sales by country, Turkey ranks as the 18th largest export market for Swiss watches, ahead of countries like Canada and India. This highlights the strategic importance of Turkey within the global operations of the Swiss watch industry.

UNI Global Union, a federation representing service sector unions worldwide, including Koop-Is, has appealed directly to Swatch CEO Nick Hayek and Chair Nayla Hayek to mediate the dispute. The federation’s involvement underscores the global attention the strike has received and its potential implications for Swatch’s international brand image.

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Potential Impact on Swatch Stores in Turkey

The upcoming strike may result in temporary store closures, reduced customer service, and disrupted operations in affected cities. Customers and collectors of Swiss watches, particularly Swatch and Omega brands, should anticipate limited availability at certain locations.

This labor action also brings broader attention to employee rights in the luxury retail sector, a topic that continues to gain prominence globally. How Swatch handles this dispute could set precedents for negotiations with other international subsidiaries.

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What’s Next

As Monday approaches, both Swatch management and Koop-Is are under pressure to reach a compromise that addresses inflation-adjusted pay and employee welfare. Observers suggest that prolonged negotiations or extended strikes could impact sales and brand reputation in Turkey and potentially in other markets.

For ongoing updates on the Swatch Turkey strike and global labor disputes in the Swiss watch industry, stay tuned to our coverage.