Trade unions gathered in Beşiktaş Barbaros Square, and made a statement regarding 1 May, International Workers’ Day.

The Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions (DISK), Confederation of Public Workers Unions (KESK), Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB), Turkish Medical Association (TTB), Turkish Dentists Association (TDB) participated in the press conference.

The trade union organizations announced that they will take to the streets on May 1 with the slogan "Together we will change".

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Istanbul provincial co-chair Ilknur Birol, HDP Istanbul MP Zeynel Özen, Republican People's Party (CHP) Istanbul Provincial chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu also attended the announcement where the banner "Long live 1 May" was unveiled.

KESK co-chair Mehmet Bozgeyik underlined that they will increase the struggle to find a common solution and said that they will celebrate 1 May in Maltepe this year.

Arzu Çerkezoğlu, chair of DISK, said: “The situation in the country has been aggravated by the economic crisis and pandemic in Turkey today but it has emerged as a result of the policies of the AKP governments, which have ruled this country for 20 years, and has left the working class and all workers face to face with hunger.”

Çerkezoğlu added: “The currency crisis that started at the end of 2021 and the decline of all wages in the face of inflation left millions of workers living in the country today with hunger. Today, we live in a situation where one out of every three young people in Turkey is unemployed. Such a great youth unemployment has now become a factor that threatens the future of the country."

Çerkezoğlu made the following call: “We are calling on all workers, women, young people and the real owners of this country to stand shoulder to shoulder on the May Day demonstrations that we will hold all over the country, especially in Istanbul. We invite you to protect our labor and bread.”