The publicity and organising campaign launched in the town of Duzce, Turkey, (see report here), by ICEM affiliate Petrol-İş, Turkey's Oil, Chemical and Rubber Workers Union, in mid-2009, has now been built on in the towns of Bursa and Gebze, both areas that have a high density of workers.

The main aim of the campaign is to strengthen public confidence in unions, and to convey the union's positive message about unionising, not only to unorganised workers at their worksites, but also to families and within the local communities.

The campaign adopted an approach which seeks to break down the negative public prejudices and attitudes towards unions. Petrol-İş plans to expand the drive to cover all Turkey.

Petrol-İş President Mustafa Oztaskin launches recruitment drive

Using campaign materials, including local newspaper ads, billboard posters, local TV and radio spots and adverts, the union calls on workers to exercise their constitutional right to unionise.

The campaign's key slogan, “Be unionized,” is accompanied by the messages “Union is your strength,” “Union is your right,” “Union is the future,” and “Union means solidarity”. The campaign website and brochures give specific information about unions, and the importance of “being unionized,” designed for potential new members.

The Petrol-İş campaign aims to ensure that workers can freely, legitimately, and effectively exercise their right to organise, a basic human right.