On Thursday, May 22, the 1st Founding Congress of the Organization of Trade Unions of Turkic States (OTUTS) is being held in Ankara, with its officially registered headquarters in the Republic of Türkiye. The new integration association includes the national trade union centers of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Türkiye. Kazakhstan is represented at the forum by a delegation from the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan (FTURK) headed by its Chairman, Satybaldy Dauletalin.
It should be recalled that on July 29, 2023, in the city of Shusha, Azerbaijan, the national trade union centers of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan signed an Agreement on the establishment of the Organization of Trade Unions of Turkic States. The founding meeting of the new integration association was held on September 22 of the same year in Samarkand.
Opening the Congress, OTUTS President and Chairman of the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions Türk-İş, Ergün Atalay, noted the steady development of the trade union movement in Turkic countries.
“We have united based on the common interests of workers – the Organization of Trade Unions of Turkic States is founded on the desire to protect workers’ shared interests, improve working conditions, and ensure social rights. Together, we will adopt a further action plan for the national trade union centers,” said Ergün Atalay.
The 1st Congress of the Organization of Trade Unions of Turkic States in Ankara adopted a new version of the OTUTS Charter and elected its governing bodies. The Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Satybaldy Dauletalin, was elected Secretary General of OTUTS by secret ballot, and Ergün Atalay, Chairman of the Turkish Confederation of Trade Unions Türk-İş, was elected President of OTUTS.
Welcoming the Congress participants, OTUTS Secretary General and Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan Satybaldy Dauletalin emphasized the significance of the new integration body.
“The Organization of Trade Unions of Turkic States is part of the institutional framework of Turkic countries. Special thanks go to our Turkish brothers for their efforts in the official registration of our organization with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Türkiye. From this moment, we are not just a union of like-minded people. We are an official, legitimate force capable of consistently and decisively defending the rights of workers in our countries. The 1st Congress of the Organization of Trade Unions of Turkic States is not just a meeting. It is the beginning of a new chapter in the history of our unity. We are combining efforts, knowledge, and spirit for the sake of a dignified life for millions of our citizens. Our goal is clear and inspiring: to turn the Turkic world into one of the key economic, cultural, and humanitarian centers of the 21st century. Supporting the initiative set out in the document ‘Vision of the Turkic World – 2040’ adopted at the 10th Summit of Heads of State in Astana, we declare: decent work, justice, and workers’ rights are the foundation upon which our shared prosperity will be built,” said Satybaldy Dauletalin.
According to him, the Organization of Turkic States is developing dynamically and expanding its areas of activity – from economics to culture, from security to education – and trade unions must take their rightful place in this architecture of Turkic integration.
“Our task is to create a trade union dimension of Turkic cooperation. Not just to observe, but to become an active partner of the Organization of Turkic States, to participate in shaping the social agenda, to develop initiatives on labor, migration, youth employment, and gender equality. We propose developing mechanisms for dialogue between the Organization of Trade Unions of Turkic States and the OTS structures – the Council of Elders, the Economic and Social Forum, and in the future, to create a Council on Social and Labor Issues under the OTS. We want our proposals to be reflected in OTS documents. We want employment and social protection programs to be developed with the participation of those who know the real situation on the ground – the trade unions,” emphasized OTUTS Secretary General Satybaldy Dauletalin.
Outlining the goals of the Organization of Trade Unions of Turkic States, the Secretary General focused in detail on its priorities.
“Our goal is not power or prestige, but service to the Working Person, who drives the economy, builds cities, and raises future generations. Let’s learn from each other, adapt best practices, and strengthen horizontal ties between national centers. Special attention must be paid to youth. They are the future of our trade unions, our countries, and all Turkic states. We must create conditions for their growth, learning, and leadership, and we must pass on not only our experience but also the spirit of brotherhood, the strength of conviction, and faith in justice. The time has come to speak one language – the language of solidarity, justice, and mutual respect. The time has come to build a Turkic labor space where every worker feels protected, heard, and respected. Today, more than ever, we feel the need for purposeful, coordinated action. We need not just integration – we need synergistic development. This Congress will become not only a place for the exchange of ideas but also a starting point for real actions and new joint initiatives that will bring tangible results to our peoples. Let our motto be: ‘Labor is our strength. Brotherhood is our path. Justice is our mission,’” wished Satybaldy Dauletalin to OTUTS members.
As noted by the participants of the new integration association, the 1st Congress marked the beginning of uniting the efforts of national trade union centers, consolidating actions to protect the socio-labor, professional, and economic rights and interests of more than 15 million trade union members of the Turkic states.
Media Center of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan