500 miners barricade themselves in mine to protest Turkish gov’t privatization
In Ankara, 500 workers at the Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant have locked themselves inside the mine in a protest against privatization plans. They announced that if their demands were not met, they would begin a hunger strike.
Ceren Bayar / Gazete Duvar
On Nov. 21, the protest by miners at the Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant in the capital Ankara’s Nallıhan district entered its second day.
Around 500 workers, who have locked themselves inside the mine, have declared they would continue their demonstration underground for three days and begin a hunger strike if no progress was made after the third day.
The privatization process for the plant began a month and a half ago, with the tender applications set to close on Dec. 4. Workers were concerned that the tender specifications did not include any provisions to protect their rights, raising fears of losing both their jobs and homes.
Nearly 500 miners stated they would continue their occupation inside the mine until their demands were acknowledged, while hundreds of workers and their families pledged to keep up their protests outside the mine.
Miners inside the mine sent a video message declaring their readiness to start a hunger strike if necessary. "We are migrant workers who came to Çayırhan from cities like Bartın, Zonguldak, Karabük, Samsun, Ereğli, and Sinop. All of us are migrants. We have fulfilled our duties honorably for our state until now," they stated.
On the second day of the protest, support for the miners grew. Civil society organizations, representatives from political parties, mayors, and labor unions visited the mining site throughout the day to meet with the workers.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chair Özgür Özel and nationalist opposition Good (İYİ) Party leader Musavat Dervişoğlu also paid a visit to show their solidarity with the miners.
CHP lawmaker Deniz Yavuzyılmaz, speaking at the mine in support of the miners, recalled that the plant and mine site, previously managed by Turkish Coal Enterprises, were transferred to Ciner Holding in 2000 and returned to the state in June 2020.
Yavuzyılmaz stated, “Now, there is an attempt to re-privatize this mine. This time, the plant, housing, and land are to be sold off permanently, never to return to the state. Additionally, the area containing coal reserves is set to be transferred to a company.”
CHP lawmaker noted that the plant’s housing alone consists of 800 units for workers and that the plant produces three billion liras' worth of electricity annually, with profits reaching $10 billion when including the mine.
Yavuzyılmaz argued, “The starting bid should be at least $700 million. It is a profitable thermal power plant and mine, but the goal seems to be handing it over for a pittance.”
Labor Party (EMEP) MP Sevda Karaca also stated that the privatization was akin to saying, “We’re giving you the deed to all the districts surrounding this mine—do as you wish.”
Karaca added, “When the funds (the government) sought from other countries do not materialize, they will empty the (state's) coffers by handing out incentives to the favored business owners through these privatizations. The burden will fall on the workers, on the families who have depended on this mine for three generations, and on the local shopkeepers and residents of these towns.”
On the other hand, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmaker Fuat Oktay also visited the protesting workers and said, “Unfortunately, in the last few days, the situation is being politicized.”
He added that the government have been working to ensure that the workers' acquired rights would not be lost.
‘Strength comes from unity’
Mine worker Ferhat Gideroğlu expressed his frustration, saying, “It is sad for us to be in this situation. Our families are upset, and we are worried about losing our jobs. We’ve put a lot of effort into this work, and we were receiving fair compensation for our labor. But now, we have no idea what the future holds. That's why we said, ‘Strength comes from unity,’ and we're here to show our strength, God willing.”
Another miner, Ercan Uzun, emphasized that they have been protesting to say “No to asset sales,” adding, “There is nothing in the terms of the privatization about the workers, which is why we are here. Our resistance will continue.”
Miner Ali Saraç, calling for the decision to be reversed, said: “We have friends here from all over Turkey. We work together in brotherhood and unity. We come out of the mines covered in coal and sweat. There’s real labor here, and we don’t want to lose it. We are waiting for a response from the state authorities.”
Another worker Erdem Özkurt, opposing the transfer of a profitable operation to a private company, said: “We will lose our jobs if privatization happens. Whether the company that takes over will hire us or not is entirely up to them. They might hire us temporarily and then let us go. Our team here is very experienced; the newest member has 8-9 years of mining experience. Plus, this is a profitable business. We want the sale to be stopped.”
(English version by Can Bodrumlu)