• TURK–IS AFFILIATES (A - F)
  • AGAC–IS
  • BASIN-IS
  • BASISEN
  • BASS
  • BELEDIYE–IS
  • DEMIRYOL–IS
  • DOK GEMI-IS
  
  
• TURK–IS AFFILIATES (G - M)
  • GENEL MADEN-IS
  • HAVA-IS
  • KRISTAL-IS
  • LIMAN-IS
  
  
• TURK–IS AFFILIATES (O - S)
  • ORMAN-IS
  • PETROL-IS
  • SAGLIK-IS
  • SELULOZ-IS
  • SEKER-IS
  
  
• TURK–IS AFFILIATES (Ta - To)
  • TARIM-IS
  • TEK GIDA-IS
  • TEKSIF
  • TES-IS
  • TEZ-KOOP-IS
  • TGS
  • TOLEYIS
  
  
• TURK–IS AFFILIATES (Tp - Tz)
  • TUMTIS
  • TURK HARB-IS
  • TURK KOOP-IS
  • TURK METAL
  • TURKIYE CIMSE-IS
  • TURKIYE DENIZCILER SENDIKASI
  • TURKIYE DERI-IS
  • TURKIYE HABER-IS
  • TURKIYE MADEN-IS
  • TURKIYE YOL-IS

TURK–IS AFFILIATES (A - F)

AGAC–IS

(TURKIYE AGAC SANAYII ISCILERI SENDIKASI)
UNION OF WOOD INDUSTRY WORKERS OF TURKEY

Labour union founded in Ayancik County, Sinop in 1949 to operate in the forestry and wood products branch, originally under the name of Ayancik-Teknik ve Agac Sanayii Iscileri Sendikasi (Union of Technical and Wood Industry Workers of Ayancik); affiliated to Türk-Is since 1963 and IFBWW (International Federation of Building and Wood Workers).

The union is based in Ankara and was founded by 16 workers including Hamza Sarisoy, Mehmet Göksu, Cafer Deniz, Sefer Aslan and Idris Yüksel.

The union held general assembly meetings on: 16.8.1954, 22.7.1958, 28-29.12.1963, 14.2.1966, 17-19.1.1968, 26-28.1.1969, 26-29.11.1971, 12-14.11.1974, 10-12.11.1977, 3-4.12.1980, 3- 4.12.1983, 2-3.11.1985 (extraordinary), 8-9.11.1989, 24- 25.12.1992 and 29-30.7.1995. The board elected at the last congress is composed of Güral Ercakir (chairman), Kazim Yildirim (general secretary), Mustafa Yilmaz (finance secretary), Mürsel Tasci (organization secretary), Hüseyin Özdemir (education secretary) and Kemal Esin (legislation secretary).

The Trabzon branch of the union was opened already in 1949. In 1954 it merged with another local union in the wood sector in Ayancik.

By the late 1950’s the union began to organize nation-wide and opened branches in other cities, including Istanbul. Its name was changed to Agac-Is at the congress in 1963, when it was also decided to move the headquarters to Ankara in the near future.

The union declared in 1971 that one of the main factors behind the military intervention that took place in the same year was the economic and social injustices in the society. At this congress its charter was amended to include a phrase that the union would „consider the fight against fascism, communism, reaction, poverty, ignorance and injustice as one of its primary aims".

In the late 1970’s the union waged its longest strike since its foundation at the Hisar Kaplama factory in Istanbul. This action lasted for 525 days and was supported by union members from all over the country.

The union supported the military coup in 1980, stating that the military forces were driven to seize power because of the difficulties prevailing in the country between 1977 and 1980. In 1986, however, the activity report to the general assembly meeting criticised the new constitution and laws for restricting the rights and freedoms of the workers, and the government for intervening in the collective bargaining process at the side of the employers.

In 1993 the union organized demonstrations in Yenice, Düzce and Mengen to protest the privatization of the enterprises where it was organized. The families of the workers, local tradesmen and members of other Türk-Is unions also took part in these demonstrations.

The union has branches in Akkus, Ankara, Antalya, Artvin, Ardesen, Bafra, Bolu, Borcka, Cide, Devrek, Düzce, Isparta, Izmir, Istanbul, Inegöl, Karacasu, Ulupinar, Vezirköprü. Ayancik, Bartin, Demirköy, Dursunbey, Eskipazar, Unye and Yenice branches are about to be closed due to privatization.

In 1996 it reported 15,052, in 1997 14,184 members. The reason of the decrease is privatization. It has published the periodical „Gözlem" recently, but not yet.

BASIN-IS

(TURKIYE BASIN, YAYIN, GRAFIKER VE AMBALAJ SANAYII ISCILERI SENDIKASI)
UNION OF PRESS, PRINTING, GRAPHIC AND PACKAGING INDUSTRY WORKERS OF TURKEY

Labour union founded in Ankara on July 11, 1945 under the name of Association of Printing Technicians of Ankara, converted into a trade union on May 15, 1947; affiliated to Türk-Is and IGF (International Graphics Federation).

The union is based in Ankara and was founded by Adem F. Özsanat, H. Cevat Elmasogu, Muttalip Sonbay, Ömer Kiratli, S. Cafer Sarkanak, Zekari Inay, Ahmet Eren and Mustafa Isiksal.

The union held general assembly meetings on: 12.6.1947, 11.2.1950, 10.2.1951, 26.1.1952, 7.3.1953, 3.4.1954, 3-5.3.1955, 18.2.1956, 25.2.1958, 21.2.1959, 2.4.1960, 4-5.1961, 3.2.1962, 24.11.1963, 11-12.9.1965, in 1967, 1968, on 27-28.12.1969, in 1971, 1973, 1974, on March 13-14, 1976, in 1979, on 24.4.1982, 31.7.1983, 3-4.12,1983, 11-12.10.1986, 19-20.12.1987 (extraordinary), 14-15.10.1989, 19-20.9.1992 and 4-5.11.1995. The board elected at the last congress is composed of Ali Ekber Güvenc (chairman), Nazmi Colak and Erol Alkan (deputy chairmen), Yakup Akkaya (general secretary), Mehmet Karayilmaz (finance secretary), Halil Kuzel (organization secretary), Alisan Inal (education secretary) and Mehmet Aktas (legislation secretary). Due to the retirement of Erol Alkan, Kazim Yildiz took his place.

The union experienced certain internal disputes in its early years. The leadership was criticised already at the first congress for spending union funds on the sports club of the union and employing for this purpose a physician, instead of providing more assistance to unemployed members and in November 1950, 300 members resigned from the union, sending a letter to the governor of Ankara alleging that the board had only been elected by a minority vote and board members were wasting their time with sports and card games and neglecting the interests of the workers.

The union affiliated to Türk-Is in 1961. In 1963, Ankara Günlük Gazete Teknisyenleri Sendikasi (Union of Daily Newspaper Technicians of Ankara) and Ankara Gazeteciler Sendikasi (Union of Journalists of Ankara) joined the union. As a consequence the union changed its name to Basin-Is and started to organize on a nation-wide level.

At the congress in 1965 the chairman of the union Galip Erkut drew attention for the first time to the friction between the white and blue-collar members of the union, an issue which was to pose problems to the union in the following years.

In 1971 TTGS (Union of Technician Journalists of Turkey) abolished itself and joined Basin-Is.

In 1972 the union decided to take over the daily „Aksam", which was owned by Türk-Is.

At the general assembly meetings of the union DISK was often criticized, and was termed as a revisionist organization that had bogged itself in politics and could not fulfil its function.

In December 1983 Tek Bas-Is (Union of Technological Printing and Publication Workers) abolished itself and joined Basin-Is.

At the congress in 1983, the leadership stated that in the last activity period they had not been able to discharge their duties as union officers because all trade union rights had been suspended by the military government. There was also criticism of the new regulations that changed the status of some union members to civil servants, which meant that they were deprived of the right to unionize.

In the activity report to the congress in 1995 it was claimed that the new amendments to the Trade Union Act favoured the employers. The report said that if Turkey was to become a part of the West, it had to eliminate the restrictions imposed by the military government and to change its legislation in accordance with ILO conventions.

The union has branches in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir. It publishes a monthly journal called „Basin-Is Gündem", and as of end-1997 it has reported 5,400 members (92.5% in the private and 7.5% in the public sector).

BASISEN

(BANKA-SIGORTA ISCILERI SENDIKASI)
UNION OF BANK AND INSURANCE WORKERS

Labour union founded in Istanbul on May 19, 1964 to operate in the banking and insurance branch, originally under the name of Union of Türkiye Is Bankasi A.S. Employees; affiliated to Türk-Is and FIET (International Federation of Commercial, Clerical and Technical Employees).

The union was founded by 39 bank employees including Cahit Kocaömer (temporary chairman), Mustafa Kemal Sayil, Aydin Teker, Hulusi Gökmen and Güngör Kasatura.

The union held general assembly meetings on: 28.10.1964, 16- 17.10.1965 (extraordinary meeting), 28.10.1967, 25.10.1969, 30.10.1970 (extraordinary), 9.10.1971, 24-25.10.1972 (extraordinary), 21.10.1973, 30.10.1975, 8.10.1977, 18.10.1979, 22.11.1982, 15.8.1983, 17-18.12.1983, 1-2.11.1986, 18-20.8.1989, 14-16.8.1992 and 11-13.8.1995. The board elected at the last congress is composed of Metin Tiryakioglu (chairman), Ferit Agnaday (general secretary) and Mustafa Ketenci, Mehmet Ali Sanal, Etem Agdas (vice-chairmen), Hidir Mentes (finance secretary), Temel Unlü (organization and education secretary), Cihanser Keskin (collective bargaining secretary) and Ates Baranok (research secretary).

The union organized in Is Bankasi after a struggle against the established trade union Bank-Is, and signed its first collective labour contract with the bank on 2.7.1966.

TIBAS was one of the founders of BANKSIF (Federation of Unions of Banking and Insurance Employees of Turkey), which was established on 3.11.1971. This federation abolished itself on 30.12.1983 and all of its fixtures, as well as a part of its cash assets, were transferred to Basisen.

When enterprise unions were banned with the new Trade Union Act after 1980, the union changed its name to Banka-Bürosen (Union of Commerce, Office, Education, Banking and Insurance, Fine Arts Workers of Turkey) at the general assembly meeting in August 1983. At the same congress a resolution was adopted for affiliation to Türk-Is. At the congress on 17-18.12.1983 its name was changed once again, this time to Basisen.

In the meantime it began to conduct talks with other unions in the branch for unification and by end-1983 the following unions had abolished themselves and joined Banka-Bürosen: Pamuksen, Hisarbank-Sen, Artürsen, Disbank-Is, Bromes, Egesen, Türkbüro-Is and Sigorta-Is. On 21.2.1984 An-Sen joined Basisen. In 1989 Banks (Union of Banking and Insurance Workers) decided to join Basisen when its members were forced by the employer to resign from the union.

Between 1983-1986 the union expanded by organizing the employees of Bank Mellat, Eskisehir Bank, Hollantse Bank-Uni, Iktisat Bank, Seker Bank, Union of Turkish Banks, T.C. Turizm Bank, Imar Bank, Emek Insurance, Günes Insurance and Seker Insurance, and it concluded 34 collective negotiations. Between 1986-1989 Basisen was organized in 14 banks and 11 insurance companies and it signed 36 collective labour contracts during this period. It also called a strike in Seker Sigorta, the first one in the insurance sector after the military coup in 1980.

Basisen has branches in Adana, Ankara and Central Anatolia, Beyoglu, Bursa, Eminönü, Erzurum, Izmir, Kadiköy and Trabzon.

It has a monthly publication called „Basisen Dergisi".

Basisen reported 3,276 members in 1964, 7,691 in 1967, 10,288 in 1970, 12,420 in 1973, 16,405 in 1976, 18,316 in 1980, 30,307 in 1988, 32,407 in 1990, 35,536 in 1990, 40,385 in 1996 and 44,878 in 1997.

BASS

(BANKA VE SIGORTA ISCILERI SENDIKASI)
UNION OF BANK AND INSURANCE WORKERS

Labour union founded in Istanbul on February 14, 1972 to operate in the banking and insurance branch, originally under the name of Vakifbanksen (Union of Employees of Vakiflar Bank); affiliated to Türk-Is and FIET (International Federation of Commercial, Clerical and Technical Employees).

The union was founded by 36 bank employees including Refik Özmen (temporary chairman), Mümtaz Ayanoglu, Mustafa Acar and Kaya Anacak. The first elected chairman of the union was a woman, Nevber Yagmurdereli.

The union affiliated to BANKSIF (Federation of Unions of Bank and Insurance Employees of Turkey) immediately after its foundation.

The recorded general assembly meetings of the union were held in 1973 (extraordinary), 1976 (6th congress), on 22.10.1978, 25.7.1982, 20.8.1983 (extraordinary), 26-27.11.1983, 9.11.1986, 15-16.8.1987 (extraordinary), 1-2.7.1989, 21.6.1992, 27-28.5.1995 and 6-7.12.1997. The board elected at the last congress is composed of Turgut Yilmaz (chairman), Kiyasettin Koc (general secretary), Öner Kaplan, Ersen Yamak, Nuri Sabur, Alaattin Ekim, Hüseyin Sahin, A. Kadir Mungan and Yildirim Salman.

In 1977 the union moved its headquarters to Ankara.

In the late 1970’s the union managed through collective bargaining to have one union member and one auditor to be elected to the board of directors of the bank as representatives of the employees.

Between 1978-1980, the union pursued a policy of defending democracy and social justice, and its activities were suspended by the military government that seized power in 1980. This ban was only lifted in 1982. During this period the general secretary of the union, Raci Bayülke, published a book criticising the new draft Constitution.

After 1983 the union spent efforts to bring together and to act in cooperation with other BANKSIF affiliates in connection with the new trade union legislation, but these efforts were mostly unsuccessful.

The name of the union was changed to its present form at the congress on 20.8.1983, when it also decided to affiliate to Türk-Is.

In the 1980’s the main problems for the union were the strike ban in banks and the condition of organizing a minimum 10% of the workers in the branch in order to conduct collective negotiations. In the statistics of the Ministry of Labour in 1984, BASS was shown as organizing 7.33% of the workers. However, the union appealed this determination of the Ministry to the law and obtained a court ruling that specified its membership level as 10.23%, thus allowing BASS to carry out collective bargaining.

In the mid-1980’s Türk-Is tried to amalgamate into a single union its affiliates in this sector, namely Bass, Banks, Basisen, Banksis and Banksisen, and set forth 6 principles for this unification. However, although supporting the idea of unification, BASS did not accept the principle that „the minority should join the majority", and consequently rejected this initiative.

The union publishes a periodical called „Güc" (Power) since 1974. It has Marmara, Bogazici, Ege, Ankara and Ic Anadolu regional offices.

It reported 2,191 members in 1973, 3,851 in 1978, 4,741 in 1984, 7,812 in 1986, 9,341 in 1989, 11,863 in 1995, 12,379 in 1996 and 12,589 in 1997.

BELEDIYE–IS

(TURKIYE BELEDiYELER VE GENEL HIZMETLER ISCILERI SENDIKASI)
UNION OF MUNICIPAL AND GENERAL SERVICE WORKERS OF TURKEY

Labour union founded in Istanbul on July 24, 1983 to operate in the services branch; affiliated to Türk-Is, ICEM (International Confederation of Chemical, Energy, Mining and Service Workers) and PSI (International Federation of Public Service Workers).

The union was founded by 23 municipal workers including Hüseyin Pala, Fuat Alan, Faruk Akarkarasu, Ercüment Ekrem Alp and Mustafa Bal.

The union held general assembly meetings on: 3-4.12.1983, 10.7.1985 (extraordinary meeting), 21-23.11.1986, 3-5.11.1989, 30.10-1.11.1992 and 27-29.10.1995. The board elected at the last congress is composed of Efendi Güvercin (chairman), Mustafa Solmaz (deputy chairman), Ali Basdemir (general secretary), Mahmut Hamitogullari (finance secretary), Ali Özgül and Hasim Candan (organization secretaries), Hidir Bal (education and press secretary), Nihat Yurdakul (research and planning secretary), Sükrü Erol (collective bargaining secretary).

The history of the union goes back to BIF (Federation of Unions of Municipal Workers of Turkey) which was founded on 24.4.1975 by several unions that were affected by the new regulations on industrial branches which were promulgated in 1974. Pursuant to the stipulations of the Trade Union Act no.2821 of 7.5.1983, BIF abolished itself at its congress on 24.7.1983 in order to become reorganized as a national union. The general assembly prepared a new charter and Belediye-Is was established. Former BIF members Türkiye Genel-Is, Türkiye Bes-Is (Izmir), Bes-Is (Izmit), Marmara Karadeniz Bölgesi Belediye-Is (Istanbul), EGO Belediye-Is (Ankara), Ankara Bes-Is, Bes-Is (Konya) and Kapi-Is (Ankara) held extraordinary general assembly meetings in the following months and abolished the unions to become branches of Belediye-Is.

In 1984 government authorities discovered that Hüseyin Pala, Hasan Soysal and Mahmut Hamitogullari who had been elected as chairman, finance secretary and research secretary, respectively, at the first congress had taken part in the congress of Tümtis (Union of Motor Vehicle Workers of Turkey) that convened on 11.12.1983 and were also elected to the board of the latter union (Hüseyin Pala was the chairman also in Tümtis). This was a breach of the Constitution and the Trade Union Act. Nevertheless, the said unionists continued to function in both unions for some time before they finally resigned from their positions in Tümtis.

In 1988 the municipalities of Adana, Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir affiliated to a public sector employer union named TUHIS. During the collective bargaining in 1988 when TUHIS acted on behalf of these municipalities, the workers had to revert to various actions in view of the uncompromising attitude of the employer party. In Izmir and Istanbul officers of the union cut their hair and beards in protest and waged hunger strikes.

Starting from 1989 one of the major problems for union members were the failure of the municipalities to pay their wages on time. In this connection the union organized actions such as collective petitioning, and succeeded in forcing the municipalities to pay their debts, but the problem was never totally solved.

During the Gulf War the union took an anti-war stance, and in 1991 it put forward new demands, including the extension of trade union rights and freedoms, the declaration of First of May as a public holiday, abolishment of capital punishment and a general amnesty. The union members also played an effective part in the general worker actions that took place on 3.1.1991.

When DISK was allowed to become active again in July 1991, DISK affiliated Genel-Is became a major competitor for Belediye-Is and was able to attract about 40 thousand Belediye-Is members to itself, mainly in municipalities controlled by the Social Democratic Republican Party (SHP).

After 1992 Hak-Is affiliate Hizmet-Is appeared on the scene as a powerful rival for Belediye-Is. Particularly from 1994 on Hizmet-Is organized in municipalities controlled by the Salvation Party.

Under these conditions, the matter of determining which union was authorized to conclude the collective labour contract in each municipality became a time consuming process, and in the case of Sivas municipality the question was not settled before 22 months.

Belediye-Is members waged actions such as marches from Istanbul and Izmir to Ankara, slow-downs and occupation of workplaces in 1992 and 1993 against massive dismissals.

Belediye-Is had 71 branches as of early 1996 (Adana nr. 1, Adana nr. 2, Adiyaman, Afyon, Agri, Amasya, Ankara EGO Tasit, Ankara Cevre Belediyeler, Ankara nr. 2, Antakya, Antalya, Aydin, Balikesir, Batman, Bingöl, Bolu, Bursa, Canakkale, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Elazig, Elbistan, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Giresun, Isparta, Iskenderun, Istanbul nr. 1, Istanbul nr. 2, Istanbul Beyoglu Yakasi, Istanbul Anadolu Yakasi, Istanbul IETT Tasit, Istanbul Itfaiye, Istanbul Mezbaha, Izmir Tasit, Izmir nr. 2, Izmir nr. 4, Izmir nr. 6, Izmir Cevre Belediyeler, Karabük, Kars, Kayseri, Kilis, Kocaeli, Konya, Konya-Eregli, Kütahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Mugla, Nazilli, Ordu, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Siirt, Sivas, Sanliurfa, Tavsanli, Trabzon, Trakya, Tokat, Van, Zonguldak, Usak, Karsiyaka). The union has a monthly publication called „Belediye-Is Dergisi".

It reported 66,000 members in 1983, 128,000 in 1986, 141,000 in 1989, 175,335 in 1995, 172,171 in 1996 and 168,705 in 1997.

DEMIRYOL–IS

(TURKIYE DEMIRYOLU ISCILERI SENDIKASI)
UNION OF RAILWAY WORKERS OF TURKEY

Labour union founded in Ankara on July 21, 1983 to operate in the railway transport branch; affiliated to Türk-Is and ITF (International Transport Workers Federation).

Demiryol-Is was founded through the abolishment of DYF-IS (Federation of Unions of Railway Workers of Turkey) in July 1983 after the new Trade Union Act came into force, and its conversion into a national-type of union.

After DYF-Is abolished itself, the 13 unions affiliated to the Federation were also abolished and became branches of the new union. These were the unions based in Kayseri, Ankara, Adapazari, Eskisehir, Erzurum, Afyon, Sivas, Konya, Izmir, Malatya, Istanbul, Adana and Haydarpasa. The unions in Bilecik, Iskenderun, Yerköy, Nazilli, Karabük, Balikesir and Cankiri also joined Demiryol-Is, but no branches were established in these towns.

The union held general assembly meetings on: 2-4.12.1983, 3- 5.10.1986, 25-26.6.1988 (extraordinary), 27-28.10.1989, 23- 25.10.1992, 11-13.8.1995 and 6-7.12.1997 (extraordinary). The board elected at the last congress is composed of Enver Tocoglu (chairman), Nurettin Girginer (general secretary), Cemal Gözükücük, Vecdi Sezer, Taki Ulusoy. Nurettin Öndes became member of the board by the reason of the death of Cemal Gözükücük. When Chairman Enver Tocoglu was in a law suit, he was discharged from the board of Türk-Is; The ministry of Labor and Social Security wrote a letter to Demiryol-Is board asking that the chairman be discharged from his position. However, the board did not fulfil this inclination and furthermore Enver Tocoglu won the case he opened for the refusal of the inclination made by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. Later, at the extraordinary general assembly held on December 6-7, 1997, the former members of the board were reelected, except Salih Bozdogan.

At the congress in 1986, the military coup in 1980 and its economic program were criticized as being hostile to workers. It was stated that the new civilian government that had come into power in 1983 continued this course, and the conditions of workers were becoming if anything even worse.

The union strived in 1986 unsuccessfully to prevent the privatization of several enterprises belonging to TCDD (Turkish State Railways).

In 1987 disputes arose in the leadership in connection with the collective negotiations with TCDD. The general secretary and some branch leaders were not satisfied with the agreement that was reached and wanted to call a strike. An extraordinary congress was held „to achieve unity" in the union, as a result of which the chairman maintained his position while the general secretary was replaced.

In the late 1980’s the union took an active part in the demonstrations and marches organized by Türk-Is in various cities against the economic policies of the government and privatization.

In 1989 during the collective negotiations in the public sector, 26 Türk-Is affiliates decided to act in unison and formed a coordination committee, in which Demiryol-Is chairman Mehmet Acidereli also took part. In March and April 1989 almost 600 thousand workers in the public sector organized numerous actions. On 19.4.1989 about 30 thousand Demiryol-Is members stopped work for half a day. The union also supported financially the 4-month long strike waged by SEKA workers.

In December 1989 Demiryol-Is’s new chairman Enver Tocoglu was elected as finance secretary of Türk-Is.

In January 1990 the union placed a complaint with ILO on the grounds that those employed in the railways as civil servants or on a contractual basis were denied the right to unionize and there was a strike ban for workers in urban railways. ILO found this complaint entirely justified.

The members of the union participated in the one-day action called by Türk-Is on 3.1.1991, demonstrated in Bursa in June 1991 under the slogan of „No to Injustices", and reported sick collectively on 20.6.1991. In 1995, too, union members staged protest actions against the public sector employer who demonstrated an uncompromising attitude in the collective negotiations.

The union has branches in Adana, Adapazari, Afyon, Ankara, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Haydarpasa, Istanbul, Izmir, Kayseri, Konya, Malatya and Sivas.

It reported 35,076 members in 1983, 32.201 in 1988, 30,989 in 1990, 31,736 in 1994, 31,630 in 1996 and 30,391 in 1997.

It publishes a periodical called „Hiz".

DOK GEMI-IS

(TURKIYE LIMAN, DOK VE GEMI SANAYII ISCILERI SENDIKASI)
UNION OF PORT DOCK AND SHIP INDUSTRY WORKERS OF TURKEY

Labour union founded in Istanbul on December 31, 1948 to operate in the shipping branch, originally under the name of Istanbul Liman ve Doklari Gemi Sanayii Iscileri Sendikasi (Union of Port, Dock and Ship Industry Workers of Istanbul); affiliated to Türk-Is and IMF (International Metal Federation).

The union is based in Istanbul and was founded by Mehmet Tosun (temporary chairman), Cemal Tuncman, Osman Özdemir, Murtaza Kursan, Saban Petigül, Sadi Balli and Sevket Döndüren. The union held general assembly meetings on: 29.1.1950, 25.3.1950, 9.12.1950, 19.10.1952, 11.1.1953, 9.9.1953 (extraordinary), 2-4.10.1954, 25.3.1956, 17.3.1957, 13.7.1957, 13.7.1958, 15.3.1959, 13.11.1960, 14-15.1962, 1.12.1963, 19.12.1965, 24.12.1967, 18.8.1968 (extraordinary), 7.12.1969, 28.3.1971, 29-31.3.1974, 1-2.4.1977, 25.7.1983, 3-4.12.1983, November 1989, 13-15.11.1992 and 17-19.11.1995. The board elected at the last congress is composed of Nazim Tur (chairman), Ali Güven (general secretary), Ayhan Demirbozan (organization secretary), Abdurrahman Sarcin (finance secretary) and H. Necip Nalbantoglu (education secretary).

The union was established through the unification of two existing unions: Istanbul Deniz Iscileri Sendikasi (Union of Ocean Workers of Istanbul) that was founded on 9.7.1947 and 1 numarali Deniz Iscileri Sendikasi (Ocean Workers Union No.1) abolished themselves at the joint congress held on 31.12.1948 and amalgamated in a new union called the Union of Port, Dock and Ship Industry Workers of Istanbul.

In 1952 Istanbul Müstakil Deniz Iscileri Sendikasi (Independent Union of Ocean Workers of Istanbul) abolished itself to join „DOK GEMI-Is".

The union decided at its congress in 1952 to affiliate to the Federation of Unions of Ocean Workers of Turkey. However, this affiliation terminated automatically when the Federation abolished itself in 1963.

The present name of the union was adopted at the general assembly meeting held in July 1957, and it became a national union in 1962. It affiliated to IMF in 1965.

The union organized the workers in most of the dockyards belonging to Denizcilik Bankasi (Turkish Maritime Bank), and particularly after 1970 began to organize in the private sector. One of the important gains it achieved in the public sector enterprises in the 1970’s was that the employer was forced to consult and to decide jointly with the union in hiring new staff.

In the early 1980’s internal strife was observed in the union and as a consequence the congress held on 25.7.1983 was voided by the Ministry of Labour, and a new general assembly meeting was held in December 1983.

In 1990 and 1991 the union organized various actions at public enterprises when the employers severely reduced the work force by forced retirement, out-contracting and hiring temporary labour.

The union has branches in Izmir, Pendik, Kasimpasa and Camialti, and three representative offices in various enterprises.

It publishes a monthly journal called „DOK GEMI-Is" and has reported 6,410 members as of end-1995.