Doruk Mining workers revolt: ‘The state should protect us, not the thieves’

Led by the Independent Mine Workers' Union (Bağımsız Maden-İş), the demands of the Doruk Mining workers are expressed as follows: “payment of unpaid wages for months, along with bonuses, annual leave, and union rights,” “payment of severance rights to all workers who were unfairly dismissed before or after the TMSF (Savings Deposit Insurance Fund) takeover, regardless of whether they filed a lawsuit or not,” “lifting of the unpaid leave practice currently imposed on working employees without their consent,” “creation of a safe working environment in accordance with OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) rules,” “reinstatement of workers who were dismissed for being members of our union and leading the struggle,” and “nationalization of the mine to ensure job security and the sustainability of the mine.”

‘OFFICIALLY A SYSTEM OF BANDITRY’

Speaking to 12punto, one of the workers, K.A., described the resistance as “a path people resort to when there is nothing left to do against injustice,” adding, “The company we worked for was seized after the July 15 coup attempt, and a trustee was appointed to the Holding. After the trustee, it was transferred to the TMSF, and in December 2022, it was transferred to Yıldızlar SSS. We haven't had a happy day since then. I mean, on the very first day it was taken over, 350 of our friends were sent on unpaid leave. This started to continue. We went on strike.”

There was another union, a yellow union. It always deceived us. For example, we came to Ankara last year, too. To the front of Yıldızlar Holding. They deceived us there as well. They turned us back without paying our dues. Most recently, I have three months of unpaid wages since 2025. But some friends have unpaid wages dating back to January 2025. It is officially a system of banditry… So, we finally took to the streets. We started this march.

I mean, we walked the one hundred and eighty-kilometer road from Eskişehir, where the facility is located, without using any vehicles. We entered Ankara. After we entered Ankara, they set up a barrier in front of us with riot police. We are 110 workers, and they brought thousands of police against us. We still didn't give up. Then we made a speech and a press statement in front of the Ministry of Energy. They surrounded us completely with cars there, too. They didn't let us unite with the public.

We saw tyranny here as well. Forget about sitting in the cold until morning, we had trouble even walking. In the frost of Ankara. The police didn't even give us a piece of cardboard to sit on. That was the order. The Governor wanted it that way. The police chief said so…

In short, they were very heartless. I am forty-three years old. I will never forget what was done throughout my life. They carried out a dawn raid; they detained us around 6:30 AM. They took our phones from our hands. They cut off our communication with our families and with Turkey. But as the working class, we will not take a step back; there is no reverse gear. We will either get our money here or we will get it,” he said.

On the other hand, K.A. said, “I don't see this event just as getting a salary, but as claiming rights. I mean, the salary is my right, and union rights are my right. I don't know, we are raising children… The man doesn't even pay the severance pay. He is officially a bandit. That's why we will tear down this system. We hope this resistance we are putting up will be an example in Turkey.”

‘THE SOLES OF OUR FEET HAVE BURST’

On the other hand, worker B.A. stated, “I am a victim of the same situations as my friend. Two of my children worked in the mine with me. They are also victims. In fact, their salaries were never paid. Because if they joined, they would lose their jobs there. I am here in their place as well. We came here from Eskişehir. The soles of our feet have burst. Our feet are all wounded right now. The security forces and such are doing a lot to us here. They sprayed pepper spray in my eyes. We were not discouraged, and we will not be. We came here again. We are telling our troubles here. And we will continue until the end.”

‘THE STATE SHOULD PROTECT US, NOT THE THIEVES’

Mine worker Ö.T. said, “We cannot find the interlocutors for our resistance. There is always an obstacle. We didn't come here to fight; we don't have weapons or anything. We have our labor, which is how we earn our living and build ourselves. We came here to get our sweat and blood. We didn't come to get a raise or anything like that. We were treated the same way last year. We were stalled, told ‘we deposited it, we will deposit it, we are depositing it.’ But now it has reached the bone.

People have nothing left to believe in. Because we have 5 months of unpaid wages. We have receivables from 2025. We are now halfway through 2026. There are still friends of ours who haven't received their salary from the first month of last year. I have salary receivables for the 6th, 7th, and 8th months from last year. Then we have union rights. But we have come here many times to get our rights. We are marching to get our rights.”

Here we are, 110 miners. 500 riot police are coming. They are taking our friends to the police station by clubbing them. We went to the Holding today. We were 50 people. The riot police in front of the Holding were 5 times our number. If you ask, they are protecting us. Who are they protecting us from? We didn't steal. The state should protect us, not the thieves. Our state is our state too.

It's as if we are citizens of another Republic of Turkey. Let them know, we are not citizens of another place. They are the ones who steal. They are the ones who steal the rights of our labor, our children, our unborn babies. The Holdings. They are protecting them.

They are not protecting us. Is the miner waiting here in the rain for fun? Our children and families came here a while ago. The ministers and our state are turning a deaf ear. In short, we will not leave without getting our rights. We are here until we die now. Whether it rains or snows. Our feet are wet and we are freezing right now, but we are still here. We will get our rights,” he declared.

News and Photos: Cenk BAŞBOĞAOĞLU