Chapter 5: The Relationship Between Labour Mobilization and Intra-union Democracy: Evidence from a Unionization Battle in Türkiye

This research examines the relationship between a textile union's democratic administrative policy and rank-and-file workers’ participation in decision-making during a unionization struggle in 2021, amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic. The economic downturn led many employers to justify layoffs under the Social Security Code. At Uğur Textile, the employer attempted to dismiss unionizing workers using the ‘work termination’ code typically applied to seasonal employees. The study focuses on labour mobilization at Uğur Textile, a supplier for major international brands such as Inditex-Zara (Spain), LPP (Poland), and the Teddy Group (Italy). Located in the conservative city of Şanlıurfa, Türkiye, the factory employed around 300 workers eligible to join a textile union affiliated with the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Türkiye (DISK). Contrary to assumptions about DISK's militant and class-oriented tradition, the affiliated textile union limited workers’ participation in local decision-making. The study investigates how motivations for unionization shape participation levels, the link between internal union democracy and labour mobilization, and how unions adjust recruitment strategies in response. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 15 workers and 3 union leaders, the findings suggest that workers’ motivations significantly influence participation, that organic leadership fosters internal democracy and collective action, and that unions lacking democratic structures may still employ participatory practices instrumentally to enhance recruitment and legitimacy.