Extended Summary

This study, which aims to summarize the general development of Çukurova’s trade unions between 1946 and 1963 and to determine the role of the Federation of Southern Trade Unions (Güney-İş) as a significant local example, consists of three sections. The first section provides an overview of labor relations and trade union developments in Turkey between 1946 and 1963, outlining the general framework of the period. The second section examines the social and economic structure of Çukurova and its labor relations from the 19th century to the period covered in this article. The third section, titled “Trade Unions in Çukurova and the Southern Workers’ Unions Federation,” focuses on the main subject of the study.
The study seeks to evaluate the place of Çukurova in Turkey’s labor history and industrialization, as well as to explain the socio-economic transformation process from the perspective of workers. By contributing to the relatively underexplored field of trade union histories within Republican historiography, this research also aims to enrich the existing knowledge of Turkey’s social policy history. The primary periodical sources utilized in this study include Gece Postası, Yeni Adana, Son Posta, Ulus, and Akşam newspapers, along with Güney İşçi Postası. Additionally, the reports and meeting records of Türk-İş between 1952 and 1963 were examined and utilized. Archival research was also conducted at the Presidential State Archives—Republican Archive (BCA), and relevant findings were incorporated into the analysis.
Since the 19th century, Çukurova has experienced significant development in both agricultural production and the textile industry. As one of the Ottoman Empire’s regions integrated into foreign trade, Çukurova—with its well-established infrastructure—emerged as a rapidly industrializing region during the Early Republican period. Industrial investments in Çukurova intensified between 1950 and 1960, predominantly focusing on the textile sector. During this period, the expansion of industrial enterprises and the early emergence of employer organizations led to the establishment of employer unions, strengthening the position of employers in the region. The resistance of employers to the enforcement of labor laws that favoured workers, along with their general stance against unionization, constituted one of the primary areas of struggle for Çukurova’s trade unions.
One of the most defining characteristics of the 1950-1960 period was the relationship between trade unions and politics. The dominant political parties of the time, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Democrat Party (DP), engaged in competition to exert influence over trade unions. Although the DP came to power in 1950 with a promise to recognize the right to strike, it not only failed to fulfil this promise but also increasingly imposed restrictive control over trade union freedoms. This restrictive approach became one of the key obstacles to the development of the trade union movement.
Despite these challenges, the establishment of Türk-iş in 1952 represented the most significant organizational development of the period. The involvement of Güney-iş in the founding of Türk-iş and the fact that trade union developments until 1954 were largely driven by unions based in Istanbul and Çukurova underscore the latter’s importance. The legal framework established in 1961 by the new constitution, followed by the legislative regulations in 1963, reinforced trade union and labor rights, thereby strengthening Turkey’s trade union movement. Türk-iş, as the primary representative of workers, became the key interlocutor for governments, channelling workers’ demands and concerns to state authorities. During this period, Türk-İş also sought to establish a regional representation system, which was believed to enhance union cooperation and mitigate organizational fragmentation. As a result, post-1963, Turkey was divided into six regions, with Çukurova designated as the centre of Türk-İş’s 4th Region, headquartered in Adana.
Several factors highlight the significance of the Federation of Southern Trade Unions, established in 1952. These include its roots in the Çukurova Workers’ Unions Association, its founding members being prominent figures of the 1946 labor movement, its role in the establishment of Türk-iş, and its designation as one of the eight unions shut down by the DP government in 1957. Moreover, the federation played a pioneering role in advocating for a separate Agricultural Labor Law. The stated objective of the federation was “to create a coordinated labor movement in response to Adana’s complex labor and employment issues across various dispersed sectors.” The federation’s most influential period was between 1953 and 1954, during which it primarily focused on ensuring that textile workers’ working hours complied with labor law provisions and addressing agricultural workers’ housing and minimum wage issues. The federation also maintained efforts to coordinate with other regional labor federations in Çukurova.
The key figure behind Güney-İş’s influence was its president, Hasan Özgüneş, a notable trade unionist from Çukurova. Having emerged from the textile labor sector, Özgüneş was a significant figure in the 1946 labor movement. Over time, his political stance shifted from communism toward centrist politics. While leading Güney-İş, he was a member of the CHP and ran as the party’s parliamentary candidate for Bursa in the 1957 and 1961 elections. In 1957, he ran against Celal Bayar. As a result, following the federation’s closure in 1957, he was frequently detained, subjected to house searches, and faced unemployment until the military intervention of May 27, 1960. After resigning from his union presidency in 1961, he remained active within Türk-iş until 1966.
The reconstruction of Güney-İş’s history based on available sources has demonstrated the critical role of local trade unions in Turkey’s formative period of trade unionism. Although there are aspects of this study that could be further expanded, it has provided a general framework regarding the federation’s position and influence. Despite the absence of large-scale labor resistance in Çukurova during that period, the ability of local unions to organize and address labor issues was identified as a crucial factor in the development of Turkey’s trade union movement. Since individual workers tend to focus on their immediate concerns, the direct engagement of local unions with workers helped reduce workers’ hesitancy toward unionization, ultimately facilitating the broader expansion of trade unionism.