Dilaver Pasha Nizamname

The Dilaver Paşa Nizamnamesi came into effect in 1867 as the first regulation concerning labor life in the Ottoman State. Officially titled “Regulation of the Imperial Mines of Ereğli,” this regulation aimed to increase coal production by institutionalizing compulsory labor in response to low wages, harsh working conditions, and labor shortages in the Zonguldak coal basin.

Content and Structure

The Nizamname consists of eight chapters and 100 articles. Its main sections cover mine exploration and licensing, the construction and operation of mines, recruitment and employment of workers, duties of clerks and accountants, rights and obligations of workers, and administrative procedures.

Innovations Introduced to Labor Life

- The daily working hours were limited to ten hours.

- Rest periods were established.

- Employers were required to provide housing for workers.

- Wages were given priority over other debts.

- Employers were obligated to provide advance notice before closing a workplace.

- Sick workers were to be treated or sent home.

- The “rotational work” system was introduced.

A view from one of the mines (Ekrem Buğra Ekinci)

Compulsory Labor and Criticisms

The Dilaver Paşa Nizamnamesi was criticized particularly for its provisions on compulsory labor. Men aged 13 to 50 were legally obligated to work, desertion was punished, and evidence shows that children were also employed. Compulsory labor applied to all workers except certain exempted groups.

Implementation and Impact

Since the Nizamname was applied only within the coal basin, it remained a local regulation and never attained the status of imperial law through sultan’s approval. Nevertheless, it was rigorously enforced by military authorities in the region and stands as a significant early example in the history of labor relations.

Although the Dilaver Paşa Nizamnamesi contained strict, production-oriented provisions, it also introduced measures to regulate working conditions and is regarded as the first document in Ottoman labor law history. It was later superseded by Law No. 151 of 1921 and the practices of the Republican period.