The meeting in Türkiye brought together representatives of the Turkish textile industry, including the Turkish employer association (TTSİS), national trade unions (Teksif, Öz İplik İş, DİSK Tekstil), brand representatives, the Ministry of Labour and stakeholders from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Social Labour Convergence Programme, to discuss the future of the industry.
Topics discussed included the green and digital transition, due diligence and brand responsibility, skills and training in the textile sector, as well as the next steps in their efforts to achieve broader and more effective social dialogue.
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As part of the Istanbul Declaration, social partners call upon the Government and the European Union to support the upcoming transformation of the textile and clothing industries, technology and skills upgrades, regional development and just transition. The Istanbul Declaration also includes a series of priorities, confirming social partners’ commitment in working together for a more competitive and fair Turkish textile industry.
Judith Kirton-Darling, IndustriAll Europe’s general secretary stated that: “There are more than 1m workers in the textile industry in Türkiye, who are facing many challenges which they have to adapt to. We stand in solidarity with our Turkish partners and recall the fundamental importance of freedom of association and freedom of collective bargaining in both law and practice, essential for the sector’s economic resilience.”
Euratex director general Dirk Vantyghem stressed that “Turkish companies face important challenges to adapt to a fast changing environment. This requires flexibility and joint efforts from workers and employers alike, to remain competitive. A constructive and open social dialogue is critical in this regard.”
