İmren Aykut (born 1940) is a Turkish female economist, trade unionist, politician and former government minister.

Early years

Aykut was born to Evket Şadi and his wife Emine in Kozan,

Adana Adana is a large city in southern Turkey. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, inland from the northeastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the administrative seat of the Adana Province, Adana province, and has a population of 1 81 ...

, Turkey in 1940. She finished the primary education st Atatürk Elementary School, and the middle education at Adana Girls' High School. She studied at the Faculty of Economics in Istanbul University graduating in 1964. Aykut specialized in "Employer-Employee relations", "

Industrial relations Industrial relations or employment relations is the multidisciplinary academic field that studies the employment relationship; that is, the complex interrelations between employers and employees, labor union, labor/trade unions, employer organ ...

" and Trade unionism at the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

in England. She completed a programme on "Executive Participation of Workers" at the

University of Oslo The University of Oslo (; ) is a public university, public research university located in Oslo, Norway. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation#Europe, oldest university in Norway. Originally named the Royal Frederick Univ ...

in Norway. She also conducted research on "Arbitration and Mediation" in the United States, "Structure of Workers' Unions and Training of Workers" in England. Further, she carried out various researches and studies at the Confederation of Union and the Department of Labour in the United Kingdom. She received a PhD degree from Istanbul University with her thesis "Exchange Rates for Workers (outside Turkey) and Its Analysis from the View of Turkish Economy".

Professional career

Aykut served in two trade unions as department manager for

collective bargaining Collective bargaining is a process of negotiation between employers and a group of employees aimed at agreements to regulate working salaries, working conditions, benefits, and other aspects of workers' compensation and labour rights, rights for ...

and research between 1964 and 1975, as industrial relations specialist at Şişecam from 1975 to 1976, and secretary general of the Trade Union of Paper Industry Employer between 1976-1983.

In politics

Ayjut was appointed member of the Advisory Parliament of Turkey in 1981. She was among the charter members of the Nationalist Democracy Party (MDP) in 1983. After the party's dissolution in 1986, she joined the Motherland Party (ANAP). She was elected to the parliament in the general elections of

1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...

1991 It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...

, 1995 as deputy from

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

and

1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

from

. She served as Minister of Labour and Social Security in the cabinets of Turgut Özal and Yıldırım Akbulut from 21 December 1987 to 23 June 1991. Her next appointment as minister was State Minister in two cabinets of Mesut Yılmaz at the 48th and 53rd governments. Aykut was appointed Minister of Environment and Urban Planning in the Cabinet of Mesut Yılmaz on 23 June 1991. Her term ended on 20 November 1991. She is the first ever Turkish female government minister, who came to this position after entering the parliament by general election.

References