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Source: Journalists union of Turkey

Established in Istanbul in 1952, the Journalists Union of Turkey (Türkiye Gazeteciler Sendikasi – TGS) to represent journalists and media workers is the oldest and the biggest trade union organisation for journalists in the media industry in Turkey.
The organisation aims to protect and strengthen the rights and freedoms of journalists, to promote labour rights, social justice, democracy, professional and ethical standards, press freedom and international solidarity.
Based in Istanbul, TGS currently has five local branches around the country with over 1.000 members working for over 100 different media companies in Turkey.
TGS is affiliated to Türk-Is Confederation of workers union in Turkey, the biggest confederation in the country with over 800.000 members.
In 1963, following the adoption by the Turkish Parliament of new laws (274 and 275) on trade unions, all workers’ union got the right to sign collective agreement and the right to organise strikes to defend their rights. The next year (1964), the TGS signed its first collective agreement for journalists working at the daily newspapers Milliyet and Cumhuriyet.
In 1965, the TGS became member of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the largest organisation of journalists’ trade unions in the world.
On March 10, 1969, TGS organised its first strike at the Anadolu news agency following the negotiation failure. One week later, the strike ended by the signature of a new collective agreement.
Following the military coup of September 12, 1980, journalists’ fundamental rights have been severely attacked. All the previous rights have been cancelled by the military junta ruling the country. A new law has been created to impose notary costs for workers who want to become member of any trade union organisation. Another law forbid the signature of any collective agreement by unions which can’t represent less than 10 percent of workers in its sectors. The rules to go on strike have been strengthened. Protests to express solidarity or demand some rights were totally forbidden. Press rights have been diminished and newspapers have been forced to stop. On May 7, 1983, a new sectorial regulation has been adopted which ousted the “technician” out of the press sector.