The effect of strikes on labor productivity in Turkey in the framework of trade union rights: Analysis with the least squares method

Technology, which has developed rapidly with the industrial revolution, leads to the formation of a competitive environment and therefore the importance of labor productivity increases. Workforce productivity has become an important element in all areas of life and is affected by many factors because the biggest source of input is human. Unions aimed at improving the well-being of employees are among these factors. In this study, it is aimed to measure and analyze the impact of the right to strike, which is the most powerful weapon of trade unions, on labor productivity in Turkey. In line with this goal, an econometric model from quantitative data methods has been established. In this study, which was carried out by addressing the strike data that took place in Turkey between 1988 and 2018, the smallest squares method was used in regression analysis to measure the size of the effect. As a result of the analysis, the relationship between the variables was found to be significant and it was determined that the 1% increase in strikes in Turkey reduced labor productivity by 1.41%. In addition, it was concluded that labor productivity tended to increase during the period when the strikes did not take place.