Nuran Gülenç – Trade Union Expert
Trade unions are one of the most important forces in protecting workers’ rights and improving working conditions. Thanks to their organised structure, they monitor the implementation of the Labour Law in workplaces and ensure that regulations favourable to workers are implemented through collective bargaining agreements. In Turkey, trade unions that meet the conditions set out in the Trade Unions and Collective Labour Agreements Act No. 6356 sit down with employers or employers’ associations to review working conditions in line with workers’ demands and sign binding collective agreements.
However, how these processes take shape and which demands are prioritised at the negotiating table is closely linked to the male-dominated structure of trade unions. The problems faced by female workers in their working lives are often invisible due to trade union policies shaped by the demands and interests of male workers. In order for the problems faced by female workers in their working lives to be visible, a female structure that makes women’s demands visible and trade union determination to implement these policies are necessary.
Working life is determined by patriarchal power relations that dominate society as a whole. This forms the basis of the discrimination faced by female workers, along with issues such as gendered division of labour, wage inequality, violence and harassment in the workplace, and inadequate health and safety measures. Gender-based judgements at every stage, from recruitment to dismissal, expose women to gender-based discrimination.
Furthermore, social issues such as gender roles and domestic violence also affect women’s presence in the workplace. Women face different risks in working life than men, as they take on different roles and responsibilities at home and at work. Therefore, the working class is not a homogeneous structure; it encompasses various inequalities and forms of discrimination experienced by disadvantaged groups such as women, men, disabled people, young people and migrant workers.
The male-dominated structure of trade unions and patriarchal relationships are obstacles to reaching women through the issues of female workers. Trade unions need to put women’s work and women’s organisation on the agenda in order to have a perspective that will organise female workers. They must also want change.
In trade unions where female workers are ignored, collective agreements focus on the demands of male workers. This situation creates serious obstacles to improving the working conditions of female workers and their access to equal rights.
Making the inequalities in the working lives of female workers visible and demanding solutions, as well as their participation in collective bargaining processes, is possible by questioning the male-dominated structure of trade unions. Trade unions can transform into an inclusive structure that takes into account not only the demands of male workers but also those of women and other disadvantaged groups by recognising inequalities within the working class and developing policies to address them. Only then can trade unions be said to have the goal of protecting and advancing the rights of the entire working class.
GENDER PAY GAP
Issues such as eliminating gender pay gaps, preventing violence and harassment in the workplace, meeting women’s health and safety needs, preventing discrimination, and taking steps to achieve gender equality should become key agenda items in collective bargaining agreements. Regulating childcare rights and parental leave helps to redefine gender roles in a more equitable manner.
The organisation of female workers, increased participation in trade unions, and strengthening their right to representation in trade unions are important steps towards breaking down male-dominated structures. Making women more visible and effective in trade unions ensures that women’s demands are taken into account in improving working conditions. This contributes to creating a more equitable, fair, and dignified environment in the workplace.
A POSITIVE EXAMPLE
In this sense, the determination shown by the United Metal Workers’ Union against the male-dominated structure is a positive example in our country. There is a will to make female workers more visible, to reflect their demands in collective agreements, and to develop policies addressing the problems faced by female workers. It should be emphasised that in many trade unions in our country, there is an effort to question the representation of female workers in trade unions and to make their demands visible. This situation is also very promising for the future.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Zincirleri kıran kadın işçiler, published in BirGün newspaper on November 25, 2025.
