“Fully independent, democratic class-based trade unionism.”

Dear members of the press and dear comrades in struggle,

We are here today to open a new and powerful page in the struggle of the culture workers who carry Turkey's cultural and artistic life on their shoulders — those who pour their sweat into every field, from theatres to operas, from symphony orchestras to libraries. When we set out on this road, we took a single principle as our guide: "Fully independent, democratic class unionism." We organised with an independent will in order to produce direct solutions to the chronic problems specific to culture and the arts, and to make this field's distinctive voice heard loudly, without letting it fall under the shadow of any general political wind. Building a mechanism of direct representation from the base upwards, we have proudly carried out the rights advocacy of music, stage, library and museum workers. Yet we all know that public-sector unionism in Turkey is being squeezed into a narrow space by the current laws, thresholds and bureaucratic obstacles. Our understanding of independence could never mean withdrawing into a corner and becoming ineffective, or turning a blind eye while culture workers are ignored at collective bargaining tables. Our duty is to defend our members' rights not only locally, but also, in the strongest way, at the bargaining tables and in the public squares. Precisely in the face of these legal and strategic necessities, instead of "remaining on paper and becoming ineffective", we showed the resolve to "become a real actor while preserving our distinct identity and our red lines".

The fundamental dynamic behind our joining the Birleşik Kamu-İş Confederation today is a full partnership of principles. Birleşik Kamu-İş positions itself clearly on a union line "committed to Atatürk's principles and the achievements of the Republic, grounded in labour and class struggle". This strong and determined structure is in complete harmony with the sensibilities from which we have never wavered since our founding. Existing under this umbrella, yet still with an autonomous will, offers our members a finely balanced ground on which we can both protect our professional independence to the fullest and feel a strong sense of belonging at the national and public level. Our conviction that our professional problems will never be overshadowed by any political agenda is the firmest mortar of this integration. This is a move that gives culture and art workers a strong legal shield, a broad organising capacity across Turkey and, most importantly, a louder voice at the tables where rights are claimed. We, the workers, do not accept the passive, ineffective form of Law No. 4688 on Public Servants' Trade Unions. We have decided to carry our struggle higher and to walk within the Birleşik Kamu-İş Confederation without compromising our principles or our line of independent class unionism. To carry culture workers' demands to the collective bargaining tables and to the squares, we will raise our voice even higher together with the Birleşik Kamu-İş family, a larger organised force at our side. In the belief that this unity will be a cornerstone for the union struggle, for the struggle for democracy and for the pursuit of justice, we invite culture workers to join our union.

Culture Workers' Union Executive Board