Turkish unionist becomes deputy secretary-general of international workers’ federation

One of the main aims of the new federation will be to struggle against unregistered, unsecured jobs, Özkan says.

Hasan ALTINIŞIK, Turkish labor unionist Kemal Özkan is poised to become one of the deputy secretary-generals of a new international trade union that could encompass 60 million workers in 140 countries.

In an interview with the Hürriyet Daily News, Özkan said the new labor union federation aimed to become an international platform for manufacturing workers of the world.

The new entity is expected to be created with the merger of three international federations: the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions or ICEM, the International Metal Workers’ Federation, or IMF, and the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers Federation, or ITGLWF.

Currently, the three federations have a total of 60 million members.

“The merger is expected to be announced at the founding congress to be held in Copenhagen on June 18-20 next year,” Özkan told the Daily News. Each federation will have a deputy secretary-general in the new organization, and Özkan, who currently is the director of industry and corporate affairs at ICEM, is expected to be one of them.

Having started his professional union career more than 20 years ago in the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey, Özkan’s work at ICEM started at the end of 2006. His father was a labor unionist, too.

The Turkish government should quickly bring labor rights to the level of international norms, Özkan said. “Turkey has been blacklisted by the International Labour Organization [ILO],” he said. “There are many issues regarding basic union rights and freedoms.

10.09.2011
SOURCE: HURRIYET DAILY NEWS