900 workers at Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant to stage 3-day underground protest! Hunger strike if no solution...

In response to the decision to privatize the mining fields of the Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant in the Nallıhan district of Ankara, around 500 mine workers launched a protest during the 08:00 morning shift today by locking themselves inside the mine after descending underground.

According to a report by ANKA; the Maden-İş Union stated that the number of workers involved in the protest is 900, that the underground action will last for 3 days, and that they will begin a hunger strike if no results are achieved.

Stating that they have been in contact with the 500 mine workers who are protesting and have locked themselves underground due to the privatization decision of the Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant mining fields, and that they are following the issue closely, President of the Turkey Mine Workers' Union Nurettin Akçul said the following:

"We have been meeting with the relevant authorities and trying to make our voices heard since this privatization decision came to the agenda. In recent weeks, we held a rally in Çayırhan together with TES-İş. However, unfortunately, we have not received a positive response to date. For this reason, our fellow mine workers descended underground during this morning's shift and locked themselves in the mine. We will also be in Çayırhan; we will be their voice above ground."

'IT IS TURKEY'S PROBLEM'

According to the information we have received, there is nothing in the tender specifications regarding the acquired rights of the miners. We do not know the full content. However, it is obvious that privatization will harm the interests of both the miners and the local people. Tomorrow, after this sale, they may ignore workers' rights to reduce costs. They may lay off workers, reduce the current number of workers, in other words, they may disregard the labor of the worker. This situation not only eliminates the job security of the employees but also threatens the local economy. So, this is not just the problem of the miner or the laborer; it is the problem of Çayırhan, Nallıhan, Beypazarı, and Ankara; it is Turkey's problem.

'OUR STRUGGLE WILL CONTINUE UNTIL PRIVATIZATION IS STOPPED'

Under these economic conditions, our mine workers, who face the danger of becoming unemployed, have locked themselves in the mine to make their voices heard. The point we have reached is unfortunately not encouraging. The workers, who have not seen a single ray of hope regarding this issue for weeks, are now trying to make their voices heard from underground. As a union, we will fight to the end. The officiousness of the Privatization Administration leaves our fellow laborers in uncertainty and disregards our rights and our future. Privatization decisions cannot be taken without considering the public interest. This decision, which was taken by ignoring us and the public interest, must be withdrawn before it is too late. Our struggle will continue until the Çayırhan privatization, which will leave mine workers unemployed, homeless, and without bread, is stopped. We will not hand over the worker's bread, labor, and sweat to anyone."