Empowering social partners in Türkiye
Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions trained on labour rights and the future of work
The ILO and TÜRK-İŞ joined forces to strengthen the capacity of union leaders and experts on fundamental principles and rights at work, including freedom of association and the evolving world of work.
10 January 2025
ANKARA (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO) Office for Türkiye, in partnership with the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TÜRK-İŞ), organized a training on fundamental labour rights, freedom of association, and the future of work for union leaders and experts affiliated with TÜRK-İŞ.
Held on January 7-8, 2025, the training aimed to enhance the knowledge and awareness of union representatives regarding fundamental labour principles and rights. The event was organized within the scope of the “Strengthening Social Partners and Civil Society Capacities on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work” project, which is led by the ILO Office for Türkiye and supported by the European Union Delegation to Türkiye.
The program commenced with opening remarks by Yasser Hassan, Director of the ILO Office for Türkiye, and İrfan Kabaloğlu, Vice President of TÜRK-İŞ. Kabaloğlu emphasized the value of the ILO, stating, “ILO is a very important institution for us. Our goal is to align with ILO standards.” Hassan expressed his pleasure in offering this critical training to members of worker organizations in Türkiye, noting that supporting such initiatives has been always the guidance of the ILO.
The training began with an introduction to the project by Emre Dönmez, ILO Senior Project Coordinator. In the first session, Prof. Dr. Gaye Burcu Yıldız presented on “Fundamental Labour Principles and Rights” and “Access to Justice for Fundamental Labour Rights,” covering ILO Conventions on fundamental labour principles, the future of work, collective rights in evolving work forms, and the challenges faced by vulnerable groups. TÜRK-İŞ Social Security Advisor Barış İyiaydın delivered a presentation on “The Future of Social Security.”
On the second day, Prof. Dr. Banu Uçkan Hekimler presented on “Freedom of Association and Its Implementation in Türkiye,” focusing on the current state of unionism, workers’ perceptions and commitment to unions, causes of negative perceptions, and strategies to revitalize unions.
Additionally, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Güler discussed “The Future of Work,” while Prof. Dr. İdil Işık gave a presentation on “Work Psychology.”
The program concluded with the distribution of certificates to participants.
This training is part of the Fundamental Labour Rights project, aimed at strengthening the capacities of social partners and civil society organizations. The project plans to reach a total of 1,000 participants throughout its duration.
The project aims to contribute to strengthening fundamental labour principles and rights in Türkiye, as outlined in ILO's Core Conventions. It focuses on the recognition of freedom of association and collective bargaining rights, the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour, effective abolition of child labour, elimination of employment and occupation discrimination, and creating a safe and healthy work environment. Supported by the European Union Delegation to Türkiye, the project seeks to enhance the capacities of workers' and employers' organizations and rights-based NGOs. Activities include needs assessments, thematic research reports, establishment of an electronic library, training programs and workshops for target groups, and provision of grant support opportunities.