Turkish miners initiated another hunger strike in Ankara on Monday, demanding payment for wages that have been overdue. The workers, who traveled from Eskisehir, a neighboring province where they work at a lignite coal mine supplying a thermal power plant, have been attempting to secure a meeting with the Ministry of Energy for a week. On the eighth day of their hunger strike, the group was reportedly blocked in a park and dispersed using tear gas.
According to the Independent Mining Workers Union, two members, including President Gokay Cakir, were arrested. The workers subsequently lay down on the asphalt, placing their helmets near the slogan, “Fight for bread.” The union stated that the miners have not received payment for a period of six months. The group arrived in Ankara on April 20 after walking an estimated 180 kilometers over nine days to protest.
The union alleges that the company that acquired the mine and the power plant in 2022 has either laid off or placed hundreds of employees on unpaid leave, resulting in accumulated unpaid wages and compensation that remain unresolved. This situation has generated significant public discontent in Turkey, a nation where coal supplies approximately one-third of its electricity generation, according to the Ministry of Energy. Furthermore, the miners’ cause has garnered public support due to their prior assistance in rescue operations in the region severely affected by the 2023 earthquake.
Topics: #miners #hunger #strike
It is deeply concerning that workers have to resort to a hunger strike just to receive wages they have earned.
What are the potential consequences of the miners’ ongoing hunger strike?