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The impact of EU accession on Turkish industrial relations and social dialogue
Author(s) -
Yildirim Engin,
Calis Suayyip
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
industrial relations journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.525
H-Index - 3
eISSN - 1468-2338
pISSN - 0019-8692
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-2338.2007.00485.x
Subject(s) - turkish , accession , industrial relations , dominance (genetics) , social dialogue , state (computer science) , social relation , european union , political science , economics , political economy , sociology , economic system , law , social science , international trade , linguistics , biochemistry , chemistry , algorithm , computer science , gene , philosophy
This article examines whether the European Union membership process is transforming the ‘deep structure’ of Turkish industrial relations. We make an attempt to illustrate this through the prism of Turkish experience in social dialogue regarded as an indispensable tool of the European social model. Turkish industrial relations is characterised by restrictive labour laws, employer hostility to unionisation, a large informal economy and labour market, and strong state intervention, which have historically constituted the main elements of ‘the deep structure’ of Turkish industrial relations. In procedural terms, the institutions for social dialogue have been established but the influence of the social partners is limited because of the dominance of the state and the weakness of labour. The existing attempts at developing social dialogue rest on shaky foundations emanating mostly from the state's and employers' disrespect of basic labour rights.