Türkiye: Journalists' union proposes draft bill to protect freelance journalists

On 23 July, DİSK Basın-İş, an affiliate of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), announced its submission of a draft bill to political parties to protect the rights of freelance journalists. The IFJ welcomes this well-needed initiative, which aims to counter the precarious working conditions and rights violations faced by freelance journalists and media workers.

Credit: DİSK Basın-İş.

The draft bill is based on the identification of sector-specific problems faced by freelance journalists and media workers, highlighting shortcomings in Türkiye's current labour rights legislation, and adapting various successful freelance laws implemented in Europe to the country's conditions.

The decision to elaborate a draft bill follows the holding of a Freelance Labour Workshop organised by DİSK Basın-İş on 27-28 September 2025, bringing together academics, journalists organisations, lawyers, freelance journalists and content creators.

The draft bill addresses the lack of legal protection for freelance media workers in Türkiye, including the absence of minimum rates, social security coverage and insurance, and the lack of trade union rights.

The text proposes an adapted version of the TRADE system from Spain, the French "Pigiste" system and the German KSK system. The adapted model proposes a mandatory written contract and a registration platform for freelancers, a minimum wage and a presumption of continuous employment, as well as a tripartite funded social security fund.

Meetings were held with political parties represented in Parliament in June and July to submit the final version of the text.

In a statement published on 23 July, DİSK Basın-İş said: "The current 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 labour costs. Under the guise of flexibility, this system imposes 24/7 work and completely absolves employers of their fundamental obligations. [...] A free press can only be achieved through press, publishing, and journalism workers whose rights have been recognized."

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: "We fully support this initiative by DİSK Basın-İş to defend the fundamental labour rights of freelance journalists and media workers, and to establish decent working conditions as a legal right. Neither a decent standard of living nor the freedom of the press can exist under precarious working conditions. We urge legislators to support this draft bill and collaborate with journalists unions to ensure that provisions safeguarding freelance journalists are incorporated into labour law."