The first session of the representatives’ training programme, organised within the scope of the joint project carried out by the union and sister union 3F from Denmark, was held in the Thrace region.
General Secretary Celal Aslan, Executive Board member Savaş Testici and Merter Branch President Asalettin Arslanoğlu took part in the training meeting, which was organised for workplace union representatives in the Thrace region. The meeting took place at the Çerkezköy office of sister union Lastik-İş, in line with a pre-determined programme and under five main topics.
At the opening of the meeting, General Secretary Aslan provided brief information about the project and thanked the participants.
The first presentation of the morning session was delivered by Üzeyir Ataman, Director of the Education Department of Lastik-İş. Ataman spoke about the formation of trade unions in the world and in Turkey, the relationships between unions and their members, the role of trade unions in society, and the importance of workers’ participation for the proper functioning of democracy.
The second presentation was given by the union’s legal counsel, Lawyer Dilara Doğan, who spoke about the basic labour rights and regulations relevant for workplace union representatives. Doğan also answered questions raised by representatives based on their experiences at the workplace.
In the afternoon session, occupational safety experts Medine Akar and Aslan Aydın explained the duties of employee representatives, as well as the establishment and functioning of occupational health and safety (OHS) committees within the framework of Law No. 6331 on Occupational Health and Safety.
The fourth item on the agenda was gender equality, presented online by ILO expert Ayşe Emel Akalın. In her presentation, Akalın addressed the place of gender equality in ILO conventions and, finally, explained ILO Convention No. 190 and its accompanying Recommendation, underlining the importance of Turkey’s ratification of this instrument.
In the final session, Merter Branch President Asalettin Arslanoğlu gave a detailed presentation on the key elements to be taken into account in organising processes, and on the strategic and tactical steps of organising.
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