HAK-İŞ
HAK-IS TRADE UNION CONFEDETATION
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF
THE CONFEDERATION OF TURKISH REAL TRADE UNIONS
HAK-İŞ
FOUNDATION AND DEVELOPMENT
The Confederation of Turkish Real Trade Unions (HAK-İŞ) was set up on October 22, 1976 in Ankara. Today, The HAK-İŞ has 9-affiliate trade unions.
The HAK-İŞ hitherto has passed different phases since its foundation. All period can be devided into 3 parts. The first covers the years between 1976-1980 as founding years, the second phase includes the years between 1980-1984 as prohibited and lost years and the third period covers the years from 1984 as breakthrough years.
AIMS
The HAK-İŞ Confederation regards it essential to respect human rights, universal principles and values, the Constitution and the natural law. It heartly believes in the unity of the country.
It accepts it as its principle to defend and improve effectively the rights and interests of working people with an understanding of pluralist and truly democracy. It considers the humans and labour as high values. In order to reach this aim, it accepts the innovative, principled, responsible and resolute struggle as its own main duty and responsibilty.
PRINCIPLES
HAK-İŞ considers the following principles as indispensible necessity in order to reach its aims.
1) HAK-İŞ regards the human being and his labour as the most fundamental value. It bases its raison d'etre and determination for struggle upon this fundamental moral acceptance.
2) HAK-İŞ considers the societal diversity as the natural consequences of the living together. It regards the demands and struggles for the share as the legitimate consequence. Nevertheless, it sees it indispensible to carry out the struggle under the just conditions.
3) HAK-İŞ considers the democracy and the civil society-structuring as its raison d'etre.And it takes it moral obligation to defend this understanding. It considers the threats against the democracy, open and civil society, and freedoms, as the threats directed against itself.
4) HAK-İŞ accepts a righteous understanding and ethic of work which have been formed in accordance with the national conditions and values of the society as indespensable phenomena. It sees itself a function of this understanding.
5) HAK-İŞ takes it as its responsibility to defend, improve and struggle for the basic human rights and freedoms which altogether form the basis of the civil society where the human being should be located at its centre.
6) HAK-İŞ regards the trade unionism as the movement with perspectives and leading abilities towards the relalisation of social improvement and tecnological development, a healty and sustainable development and even distribution of national income.
7) HAK-İŞ assumes that the existence and unity of Turkey are the raison d'etre of its existence. HAK-İŞ is explicitly accepts the fact that the national unity and societal peace which are based upon the societal consensus, are vital importance to all members of the society.
8) HAK-İŞ considers the environmental problems faced throughout the world, cultural erosion and pollution, alineation and social exclusion, as some of the most acute disasters of the century. The HAK-İŞ assumes it its duty to contribute to the development of the environment with a drive to overcome the modern crises in the environment, and supports the understanding of firstly the human, sustainable development and alternatif technology.
9) HAK-İŞ considers the trade union democracy as vital for the labour of the human being. In connection with this, it assumes transparent, open and principled trade union movement.
10) It is the principle of the HAK-İŞ to defend and give struggle for the rights and interests of not only the working people but also of all the marginalized and oppressed people.
11) HAK-İŞ regards speedy and continuous innovation for itself as vitality. As a requirement of this understanding, it regards it vitally important for the better future of workers, society and Turkey to produce information, to make use of the information, to appreciate the importance of the information.
12) HAK-İŞ is in favour of the dialogue, consultation and peaceful methods, and against conflictual undestanding in its approach.
STRUCTURE
The organs of the confederation are Congress, Executive Boardl Auditory Board, Disciplinary Board, Board of Chairmen, Regional Representatives
There are also press and publication, foreign relations, legal affairs department and educational and organizational units, research department, child labour unit, social security and retirement unit and experts at the headquarters.
1- CONGRESS
It is composed of delegates elected by the congresses of the affiliated unions in proportion to their membership and members of HAK-İŞ Executive Board and Board of Auditors. It convences once every for years.
2- EXECUTIVE BOARD
It is composed of 5 members. They are President, Vice-President, General Secretary, General Secretary for Education, and General Secretary for Finance.
Acting Executive Board Members BY The 10TH CONGRESS:
| President | : Mr. Salim USLU |
| Vice-President | : Mr. Mahmut ARSLAN |
| Vice-President | : Mr. Yusuf ENGİN |
| General Secretary | : Mr. H. Feudun TANKUT |
| General Secretary for Finance | : Mr. Şenel OĞUZ |
| General Secretary for Organization | : Mr. Settar ASLAN |
The HAK-İŞ Confederation has 126 local branches in 9 affiliated national unions. Trade unions are being set up on the basis of industry (sector) principle. For this reason every union is a national organization composed of local branches and representatives.
Union NameMembership (According toJanuary '96 statistics)
| ÖZ TARIM-İŞ | (Real Trade Union for Workers in Agriculture, Land and Water Industry) |
| ÖZ GIDA-İŞ | (Real Trade Union for Workers in Food and Tobacco and Beverages Industry) |
| ÖZ İPLİK-İŞ | (Real Trade Union for Workers in Weaving, Knitting and Garment Industry) |
| ÖZ AĞAÇ-İŞ | (Real Trade Union in Wood Industry) |
| ÇELİK-İŞ | (Trade Union in Steel, Iron, Metal and Auto Industry) |
| ÖZ SAĞLIK-İŞ | (Real Trade Union in Health Industry) |
| HİZMET-İŞ | (Trade Union for Entire Municipal and General Service Industry) |
| TARIM ORMAN-İŞ | (Agriculture and Forestry Union) |
| KAMU-SEN | (Public Servants Union The Turkish Republic of Northern Cuyprus) |
HAK-İŞ AND IMPROVEMENT OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
As it is stated above, the first and foremost aim is to reach a stable and advanced, well functioning industrial relations over all aspects of the field. Within the context of this approach and aims, the actions and activities gain a clear lines to be followed.
The Confederation of HAK-İŞ has been endeavoring to find ways of securing rights and fullfilling the duties to the society and workers by using all democratic means in real terms.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
HAK-İŞ has vast and good relations with trade union organizations in various countries and international trade union organisations, ICFTU and ETUC.
INTERNATIONAL AFFILLIATIONS
a) ILO (Internnnational labour Organisation)
The HAK-İŞ has been represented in the Workers delegation of Turkey to the ILO since 1997.
b) ICFTU
The HAK-İŞ affiliated to the ICFTU in December 1997.
c) ETUC
The HAK-İŞ affiliated to the ETUC in December 1997.
d) The EU-Turkey Joint Consulative Economic and Social Committee.
This committee was created in 1995. The HAK-İŞ member of the committee is Mr. Salim USLU, President of the confederation.
e) IIRA International Industrial Relations Association
Member : Mr. Salim USLU, President
f) Consultative Committee of Central Asian Trade Unions
Participation in National Council and Committees
a) (ESK Turkish Economic and Social Council)
It was created in 1995 and started becoming effective in 1997. The HAK-İŞ is the member from the beginning.
b) Turkish National Consumer Council
It was set up in 1995.