Read this article in:
22 February, 2010
ICEM Turkish affiliate ÇIMSE-İş, the Cement, Ceramics, Soil, Pottery, and Glass Workers’ Union, held its 18th Congress in Ankara on 6 and 7 February, with the 207 delegates present electing a new President and expanding the union’s executive committee from four to five. Zekeriye Nazlim, the former ÇIMSE-İş regional president of the Ankara Branch, was elected President of the national union.
Prior President Ramazan Safak stepped down from that position at this Congress. He was credited for enacting efficiencies within the union that doubled ÇIMSE-İş cash reserves in the midst of a financial crisis. The union represents 18,000 Turkish workers, down a full 25% due to effects of the global financial collapse.
Zekeriye Nazlim of ÇIMSE-İş
The hardest hit among ÇIMSE-İş industrial sectors were those in ceramics, tiles, and pottery. Safak was responsible for keeping the Türk-İş affiliated union on solid financial footing through the retrenchment of workers and loss of membership, and also was credited with limiting the effects of the crisis through constructive social dialogue with employers.
The Congress was chaired by Türk-İş Confederation President and ICEM Executive Member Mustafa Kumlu. He outlined the recent industrial actions undertaken by 12,000 workers of the once state-owned tobacco and alcohol company Tekel, workers who have been denied their rights as victims of privatization.
Türk-İş President Mustafa Kumlu
ICEM Rubber and Chemicals Officer Kemal Özkan reported on the overall global effects of the economic crisis, as well as on ICEM’s campaign on Contract and Agency Labour (CAL) and ongoing efforts to create a new global trade union structure for industrial and manufacturing sectors. Özkan also thanked ÇIMSE-İş for co-hosting last October’s ICEM World Conference for the Materials Sector in Izmir, Turkey.
The Congress passed resolutions on decent work; against precarious employment; for fair taxation; reform to Turkish labour statutes, particularly regarding unionization; a better health insurance system; better management of unemployment funds; and a halt to privatization efforts.
Re-elected General Secretary of ÇIMSE-İş was Yusuf Çirak; re-elected as treasurer, Cemil Kaya; and Erkan Atar was elected Secretary of Education, while Cengiz Gözüküçük was elected Secretary of Organising.