The 1st Regular General Assembly of the Batman Branch of the International Tradespeople’s Union (UEB) was held at the Batman Civil Society Center with the participation of union members, tradespeople, businesspeople, representatives of civil society organizations, and numerous guests.

The general assembly centered on the new vision for the future of small business owners presented by UEB Founding President Mehmet Özdil.

Özdil emphasized that small business owners should not have to fight alone against large chain stores; he stated that efforts would be undertaken under the UEB umbrella to pool the purchasing power of small business owners, reduce costs, and increase sales.

UEB Vice President İlhan Taşkıran also participated in the General Assembly program, contributing to the event as part of the formation of the Batman chapter and small business-focused initiatives.

MEHMET ÖZDİL: “OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WILL NOT BE LIMITED TO THE LOCAL MARKET”

One of the strongest messages delivered by UEB Founding President Mehmet Özdil at the general assembly was that small business owners should not limit themselves to their home city.

Özdil conveyed the message, “Our small business owners will not be confined to the local market; they will open up to the world,” stating that the goal is to transform the organizational structures UEB has established in various countries into commercial partnerships.

UEB’s goal is to connect small business owners, producers, merchants, and entrepreneurs in Batman with trade networks in different cities across Turkey and abroad, open the doors to new markets, and pave the way for businesses capable of exporting.

It was noted that Batman is the 60th province in the UEB’s organizational structure, and it was announced that the union has expanded its organizational efforts to 60 provinces and 35 countries and states.

SMALL BUSINESSES WILL WORK TOGETHER WITH THE UEB

One of the key topics emphasized by the UEB at the general assembly was the model of collective action.

The goal is to increase the bargaining power of small business owners by shifting from purchasing products individually at high prices to using bulk purchasing systems, to develop cooperatives, and to establish joint supply and sales networks.

This system aims to enable small business owners to purchase goods under more favorable terms, reduce costs, and pass these savings on to consumers in the form of lower prices.

E-COMMERCE SUPPORT FOR WOMEN AND YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

E-commerce was one of the key areas of focus announced by Mehmet Özdil at the general assembly.

The goal is to develop digital sales channels to enable women who produce goods at home and young entrepreneurs to sell their products online, reaching customers throughout Turkey and, over time, abroad.

Özdil stated that women and young entrepreneurs will be supported and that work is underway to provide a free e-commerce infrastructure specifically to enable women who produce goods to sell their products internationally online.

A NEW TERM UNDER THE PRESIDENCY OF MEHMET SIDDIK ÇİFTÇİ

At the general assembly meeting, a new board of directors led by Mehmet Sıddık Çiftçi was elected.

Çiftçi stated that they would establish an active and strong merchant movement in Batman and would be on the ground to find solutions to merchants’ problems, adding that they would act in accordance with the principle that “unity is strength.”

In this new term, the UEB Batman Branch aims to maintain constant contact with merchants and carry out initiatives in various areas—ranging from bulk purchasing to e-commerce, from cooperatives to exports, and from incentives to new commercial partnerships.

A NEW ERA FOR BATMAN’S SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS

With the general assembly held in Batman, UEB’s merchant-focused vision for the new era was once again laid out.

Work is planned to continue in line with the goals of uniting the strength of small business owners, supporting producers, creating favorable purchasing opportunities, developing cooperatives, expanding digital commerce, and connecting local small business owners with global markets.

The message delivered by UEB Founding President Mehmet Özdil at the general assembly was clear:

“We will buy together, produce together, and sell together; we will open up opportunities for our small business owners from Turkey to the world.”