Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen

The Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (Turkish: Türkiye Esnaf ve Sanatkârları Konfederasyonu, TESK) is a civil society organization based in Ankara, Turkey. It was established under Law No. 507 on Tradesmen and Craftsmen, which came into force in 1964, and began operating in its current structure at that time. TESK serves as an umbrella body that brings together associations and professional unions of tradesmen and craftsmen across Turkey. The Confederation's stated aims include coordinating between chambers, unions, and federations of tradesmen and craftsmen; taking initiatives to ensure public benefit in the professional activities of its members; representing tradesmen and craftsmen in Turkey and internationally; supporting the development of vocational training and solving members' problems; and facilitating communication between its members and official institutions and ministries. TESK's activities cover a wide range of services: registry procedures for tradesmen and craftsmen; organizing vocational and apprenticeship training; providing financial support to members from banks and financial institutions; work on occupational health and safety; and various projects addressing child labor, women's entrepreneurship, and EU integration. Notable projects include the Project to Increase TESK's Sensitivity on Child Labor, the Project on the Role of Child Labor in the Carpet Sector, the Project for Determining the Profiles of Workplace Inspection and Advisory Groups, the Training Program for IDDGs within TESK, the Project to End Child Labor by Supporting Family Income, the Samsun Health Clinic Project, the Project for Supporting Women's Entrepreneurship, and projects for evaluating EU practices and increasing the expertise of tradesmen and craftsmen professional organizations on EU education policies and legislation. As a confederation, TESK operates as a non-profit, non-governmental organization. It does not sell products or services in a commercial sense but provides representation, coordination, and support services to its member tradesmen and craftsmen. Its website serves as a portal for news and information for its members.

The Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK) was established under Law No. 507 on Tradesmen and Craftsmen, which entered into force in 1964. This law provided the legal framework for the organization of tradesmen and craftsmen into chambers, unions, and federations, and TESK was created as the umbrella confederation to coordinate these bodies at the national level. Since its founding, TESK has been headquartered in Ankara, Turkey's capital. Over the decades, TESK has expanded its activities beyond basic representation to include vocational training, financial support, occupational health and safety, and social projects. It has undertaken numerous projects, often in cooperation with international organizations, addressing issues such as child labor, women's entrepreneurship, and alignment with European Union practices. These projects reflect TESK's evolving role as a advocate for its members' interests in a changing economic and social landscape. TESK continues to operate as a civil society organization, representing the interests of tradesmen and craftsmen before government bodies and providing services to its member organizations.

• 1964

  Law No. 507 on Tradesmen and Craftsmen enters into force; TESK begins operating in its current structure.

Umbrella confederation representing tradesmen and craftsmen in Turkey

1. 1Türkiye Esnaf ve Sanatkârları Konfederasyonu - Wikipediatr.wikipedia.org
2. 2Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen - Wikidatawikidata.org