English

 

The history of DEMİRYOL-İŞ goes back to the year 1948 in which State Railway Industry Workers Union of Eskişehir was established. Following the establishment of the State Railway Industry Workers Union of Eskişehir, similar unions in the railway sector were established in different regions. All these unions were facing similar problems which they had to solve with the same General Directorate (Turkish State Railways). Under such circumstances it was a good idea to establish a Federation to serve as an umbrella organization.

 

The first initiative in this respect was to prepare a status for the new federation. After the status was prepared it was sent to the other unions for their approval. On 12 December 1952, the representatives of the railway unions from the provinces of Eskişehir, Sivas, İzmir, Haydarpaşa and Adapazarı gathered in Eskişehir. The Railway Workers Union Federation of Turkey was established following the discussions which continued for three days.

 

As trade union movement in Turkey gained strength, the problems encountered became much tougher. Unity and centralization at national level was vital to overcome these problems. Demands to establish a national level trade union was on the rise.

 

At the 10th Ordinary Congress of the Federation, the Executive Board was mandated to start the procedures inorder to establish a national level trade union. The affiliated trade unions of the Federation were to join the new organization following their liquidation process.

 

The Executive Board of the Federation gathered between 27-30 November 1972. The preparations for the status to establish the national level trade union were finalized. Following the discussions, the status was approved by 26 votes “in favour” and 2 votes “against”. The national level trade union was officially established. It was named “The Railways Workers Union of Turkey”.

 

The Turkish Grand National Assembly was dissolved on 12 September 1980. The anti-democratic constitution came into force in 1982. The Grand National Assembly was reactivated following the general elections held in 1983. Trade Union Act Nr: 2821 entered into effect in 5 May 1983. The provisional article (1) of the act ordered trade unions to hold their extraordinary congresses in line with their previous status and to establish their statutory bodies until 1 January 1984, otherwise the trade union would be deemed to be dissolved.

 

The Railways Workers Union of Turkey which was the first national level trade union dissolved itself in 23 March 1983, the other federation called DYF-İŞ held its Congress on 21 July 1983 and approved the resolution to convert its structure to a national level trade union. The name of the new trade union was the Railway Workers Union of Turkey (DEMİRYOL-İŞ).

 

After the establihment of DEMİRYOL-İŞ, the other 21 trade unions organized in the railway sector dissolved themselves and joined DEMİRYOL-İŞ, 13 of these trade unions became the branches of DEMİRYOL-İŞ. It was unnecessary to establish branches at the regions where the remaining 8 trade unions were located.

 

The Executive Board of DEMİRYOL-İŞ is composed of five members; President, General Secretary, Financial Secretary, Legislative Secretary, Trade Union Organizing and Training Secretary. All the members of the Executive Board are elected by the Congress with a secret ballot.

 

Article 60 of the Trade Union Act Nr. 2821 defines 28 industrial sectors under which trade unions could operate. The 19th industrial sector is “railway transportation” and it covers railways maintanance, reparation and renewal including works performed in compartment and dining cars.

 

 

Statutory Bodies of DEMİRYOL-İŞ in accordance with article 12 of the Statute;

 

a-      Congress: Meets every four years with the participation of the delegates elected by the branches, the executive board members and the members of the auditing committee.

 

b-     Executive Board: Elected by the Congress every four years with a secret ballot and composed of 5 members - President, General Secretary, Financial Secretary, Legislative Secretary, Secretary of Trade Union Organizing and Training. 

 

c-      Auditing Committee: Composed of three titular and three substitute members elected by the Congress with a secret ballot.

 

d-     Disciplinary Committee: Composed of 5 titular and 5 substitute members elected by the Congress and meets upon the call of the Executive Board. 

 

The Presidential Committee is also another fundamental body of DEMİRYOL-İŞ. Presidential Committee is composed of branch presidents, auditing committe and the executive board members.

 

 

 

Mr. ATALAY was born in 1954 in Adapazarı. After primary school he attended to the Apprenticeship School of Turkish State Railways. In 1972 he began working at the Adapazarı Wagon Factory. In 1978 he became a workplace representative. In 1982 he was elected Branch President of Railway Workers Union (DEMİRYOL-İŞ). He served for many years in the Auditing Committee of DEMİRYOL-İŞ. He was elected President of DEMİRYOL-İŞ at its 6th Ordinary Congress held in 1999. He retained his post at the 7th (4-5 October 2003) and 8th (8-9 Semptember 2007) ordinary congresses of DEMİRYOL-İŞ. In December 2002 he became the Financial Secretary of TÜRK-İŞ as he was the first substitute member of the Confederation’s executive board. He retained his post at the 19th and the 20th Ordinary Congresses of TÜRK-İŞ. Mr. ATALAY is married and has three children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. KAYA was born in 1966 in the village of Günyurdu at the Pazaryeri district of the province of Bilecik. In 1983 he graduated from the molding department of Industry and Vocational High School of Gebze. The same year, he began working at the Railway Workshop Directorate of the Turkish State Railways.

 

Mr. KAYA was elected Branch President at the 6th Ordinary Congress of the DEMİRYOL-İŞ Haydarpaşa Branch held in 1999. He was elected Legislative Secretary at the 7th Ordinary Congress of DEMİRYOL-İŞ.

 

At the 8th Ordinary Congress, he was elected General Secretary. Mr. KAYA is married and has two children.

 

 

 

He was born in the province of Sivas in 1968. He graduated from the School of Practical Crafts in 1982. After his graduation he began working at the Wagon Reparation Department of TÜDEMSAŞ (Railway Machinary Industry of Turkey) Factory.

 

In 1992 he was elected workplace representative at the Wagon Reparation Department of TÜDEMSAŞ. After three years he was elected to the Executive Board of DEMİRYOL-İŞ Sivas Branch.

 

At the 6th Ordinary Congress of the Sivas Branch, Mr. KARAKURT was elected Branch President. He retained his position at the 7th (2003) and the 9th (2007) Ordinary Congresses of the Sivas Branch.

 

Mr. KARAKURT was elected to the post of Financial Secretary at the 8th Ordinary Congress of DEMİRYOL-İŞ held in 8-9 September 2007. Mr. KARAKURT is married.

 

 

 

 

 

He was born in İstanbul in 1957. He graduated from the motor department of the Yedikule Apprenticeship School of Turkish State Railways in 1973.

 

He was elected workplace representative in 1986, İstanbul Branch Executive Board Member in 1989, Branch Financial Secretary in 1992 and Branch President in 1997.

 

Mr. BAYGIN retained his post at the 8th Ordinary Congress of the İstanbul Branch. He was elected Legislative Secretary at the 8th Ordinary Congress of DEMİRYOL-İŞ held in 8-9 September 2007.

 

Mr. BAYGIN is married and has two children.

 

 

 

He was born in the village of Yerköy in the province of Yozgat. He graduated from the electrical department of Kırıkkale Industry and Vocational High School.

 

In 1983 he began working at the Locomotive Maintanance Workshop of Turkish State Railways. He served for many years as a workplace representative.

 

Mr. SAÇINALP was elected to the Branch Executive Board at the 7th Ordinary Congress of the Ankara Branch. As the Branch President of the Ankara Branch was elected to the post of Secretary of Trade Union Organizing and Training of DEMİRYOL-İŞ at its 7th Ordinary Congress, the Ankara Branch was reshaped. Mr. SAÇINALP was elected Branch President.

 

Mr. SAÇINALP retained his post at the 8th Ordinary Congress of the Ankara Branch. He was elected Secretary of Trade Union Organizing and Training at the 8th Ordinary Congress of DEMİRYOL-İŞ held in 8-9 September 2007.

 

Mr. SAÇINALP is married and has two children.

 

 

 

 

 

Branch President:                     Mr. BAHALI, K. Akay

Branch Secretary:                    Mr. PALA, M. Nedim

Branch Financial Secretary:      Mr. EROL, Mahir

 

 

Branch President:                     Mr. YAMAN, Cemal

Branch Secretary:                    Mr. GÜNEŞ, Muammer

Branch Financial Secretary:      Mr. YILDIZ, Dursun

 

 

Branch President:                     Mr. USLU, Muharrem

Branch Secretary:                    Mr. ŞEN, Hayrettin

Branch Financial Secretary:      Mr. SAYGI, Recep

 

 

Branch President:                     Mr. KALE, Nuh

Branch Secretary:                    Mr. AYDIN, Yaşar

Branch Financial Secretary:      Mr. BÖKE, Yunis

 

 

Branch President:                    Mr. GÖKÇAN, Yusuf

Branch Secretary:                    Mr. YILMAZ, Dinçer

Branch Financial Secretary:     Mr. DANABAŞ, Muhammet

 

 

Branch President:                    Mr. BAYAR, Çetin

Branch Secretary:                    Mr. AKPINAR, Mehmet

Branch Financial Secretary:     Mr. BOLAT, Mehmet

 

 

Branch President:                    Mr. OCAK, Cavit

Branch Secretary:                    Mr. ÇELİMLİ, Selahattin

Branch Financial Secretary:     Mr. ALKAN, İsmail

 

 

Branch President:                    Mr. KAÇAR, Mustafa

Branch Secretary:                    Mr. CANDAN, Sedat

Branch Financial Secretary:     Mr. ÖZER, Salih Aydın

 

 

Branch President:                    Mr. ERVÜZ, Hüseyin

Branch Secretary:                    Mr. ATICIER, Ahmet

Branch Financial Secretary:     Mr. CEVİZ, İzzet

 

 

 

 

Branch President:                    Mr. ASLAN, Yakup

Branch Secretary:                    Mr. SOYDAN, Suat

Branch Financial Secretary:     Mr. CABİR, Seyit

 

 

Branch President:                    Mr. KÖKAT, Necati

Branch Secretary:                    Mr. BAŞMAYA, Sadi

Branch Financial Secretary:     Mr. TURGUT, Necmettin

 

 

Branch President:                    Mr. ÖNDEŞ, Nurettin

Branch Secretary:                    Mr. AYSAN, Necmettin

Branch Financial Secretary:     Mr. KAZGAN, Hikmet

 

 

Branch President:                    Mr. KÜTÜK, Murat

Branch Secretary:                    Mr. ÇAKMAK, Ahmet

Branch Financial Secretary:     Mr. UZMAN, Kemal

 

 

 

Our trade union is organized at the following metro rail systems;

 

 

In 1985, Metropolitan Municipality of İstanbul resumed the construction of the railway systems projects with the aim to widespread the rail transportation in the city. İstanbul Transportation Co. was established as a subsidiary of the Metropolitian Municipality of İstanbul in 1988 inorder to undertake the operation and maintenance of the completed railway systems.

 

İstanbul Transportation Co. Established to operate the urban rail system is responsible of 7 urban railways with a total length of 64 km. The company provides service to 700.000 passengers daily. The number of passengers will soon increase as the remaining investments are completed. The company has proved its commitment in the field of sustainable development by signing the UITB Sustainable Development Charter in 2005.

 

The first initiatives for the İzmir Metro commenced in 1989. The German institute of Heusch und Bosefeldt undertook a traffic cencus study at the main arteries of the city and prepared a Master Plan.

 

The Transportation Master Plan of İzmir foresees a 50 km metro system by the year 2010 which will reach all four frontiers of the city. In 1992 the call for tender to construct the most intensive part of the system was launched. Siemens, Breda and ABB-Structure Center Consortium participated to the tender.

 

In 1993, ABB-Structure Center Consortium managed to sign the contract with the Metropolitan Municipality of İzmir.

 

The project was finished in the year 2000.

 

 

The initiatives for the first urban tramway system of Anatolia commenced in Konya in 1989. The tramway system operates between the Konya city center and the satellite city of Bosna Hersek. The total lenght of the track is 20 km. and 61 tramway cars operate on the network. The network was extended 3 km in track length as to enable the tramways to enter the campus of the Selçuk University and to better serve 80 thousand students.

 

The rapid development of the city creates the need for new investments in this area.

 

 

The province of Bursa is the second largest city in the Marmara region. The population of the city is 1.5 million. Establishment of a rail network for the city was essential due to the heavy demands, the problems related with public transportation services and the environmental aspects.

 

A light rail system to be integrated with the bus routes was one of the projects. Such system would connect the center with the industrial and residential areas and ease the traffic density.

 

The construction of the project commenced on 8 July 1998. On 29 October 2001 Bursa Rail enterprise was established. The trial runs began on 23 April 2002. The schedualed trips began in 15 June 2002.

 

 

EU accession negotiations of Turkey commenced on 17 December 2005. Following the scanning process, the adaptation process began. Turkey belongs to the 4th and the 10th transportation corridors of the EU. Unity in railway standarts within the frame of these corridors are vital aspects of the EU adaptation process.

 

Transportation sector is crucial in terms of improving the life standarts of the societies. It also plays an important role in the development of industry and integrates the production centers. In this respect railways are the most effective means of transportation.

In the early years of the Republic, the biggest investments were allocated to the railroad constructions. In 1950’s, among all the investments allocated for the transportation systems, the share of railways were 42% in passenger and 78% in freight. However these shares dropped down to 2% in passenger and 4% in freight by the year 2007.

 

Unfortunately our railways could not keep up with the recent developments in the technology. We could not manage to take concrete steps inorder to integrate with the speed train network which Europe has established. Today, there are trains which could reach a maximum speed of 500km/hour in Europe, USA and Japan. These trains can seriously compete with cars, buses and even with the airplanes. 

 

The total track length of our railways is 10.940 km. The length of electric tracks are 2122km. Only 3% of the total tracks are double-tracked lines. There are 799 traction engines of which 624 are active. 79 of these traction engines are are older than 40 years. The number of passenger cars are 1038 of which 111 are older than 40 years. The number of freight wagons are 16.858 of which 15.749 are active. 425 of these wagons are older than 40 years. There is a significant drop in the number of the rolling stock when compared with the previous years.

 

The market shares of the railways decreased significantly due to the implementation of unsound transportation policies. After the 50’s, the construction of railways were insufficient when compared with the economic and industrial developments in Turkey. Railways could not reach the desired levels in terms of meeting the physical and geometrical standarts. The government interventions were focused on solving daily problems and the enterprise could not keep up with the market developments.

 

The misuse of resources leads to economic and social problems. Establishment of a fast and secure transportation sysyem is vital, but a the same time, effective utilization of the national resources in meeting these services should be the priority.

 

In Turkey, the increasing passenger and freight transportation is directed to the highways. As a result a large portion of the investments allocated for this sector flows to the road transport. When compared with the population and the area of the country, we can see that the length of the railway network is exteremly insufficient. The insufficient network is the main reason why road transportation is prefered.

 

It is obvious that present situation of our railways will be a big handicap prior to our EU membership. EU Commission adapted a resolution to formulate a single technical charter valid throughout the union aiming to integrate the rail networks and the technical infrastructures of the member states and to create a single market for rail equipment.

 

The main elements of integration were;

 

·        Signalisation

·        Data Systems

·        Integration of international freight train operations

·        Qualification of Train Drivers

·        Maintanance, Reparation

·        Automation

 

These and similar criterias prove that modernization and technological renovation in railway transportation are vital during the accession process.

 

We are hoping that EU accession process will encourage the modernisation and renovation of our rail network.