Tekel Workers: Protest Actions in June, July and August

Massive police presence intervened against Tekel workers in Ankara. A press release by unionists had to be re-located. Tekel workers will continue their resistance against the loss of employee personal rights with protest actions of several days' duration each in the coming months.

Tolga Korkut

Tekel Workers: Protest Actions in June, July and August

The police obstructed a press release for Tekel workers planned to be held at the Turkish Confederation of Labour Unions (Türk-İş) Headquarters in Ankara. Tekel workers have been carrying on with their struggle for employee personal rights for 81 days now and got organized under the umbrella of Tek Gıda-İş, the Tobacco, Alcoholic Beverages and Food Subsidiary Workers Union of Turkey. The scheduled press release organized by TekGıda-İş and other labour organizations was held in a nearby street instead.

According to the press release, union officials decided for three-day protest actions on 3 June and four days of action starting from 4 July. Unlimited protest actions are planned for the whole month of August in case the workers' requests should not be accepted.

The union officials wanted the crowd to clear away after the press release. The police intervened with physical force and tear gas against a group of around 250 people that stayed on the spot.

The police had hindered groups to get through to the Türk-İş building since the early morning hours of 2 April. The police opened a part of the road at around 11.00 am so that the crowd could pass to reach the Türk-İş building.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Governor of Ankara had described the workers' protest action carried out on 1 April as "unlawful". Thereupon, the police hindered Tekel workers and their supporters to enter the capital since the early hours of 2 April. Some groups had still been able to gather around the Türk-İş building the previous evening and went on a sit-down strike.

The Tekel workers have been resisting since 15 December against the so-called 4C regulation regarding "temporary personnel" in the context of the closure of the Tekel leaf tobacco factory and storages. A transfer to public enterprises under the 4C regulation would deprive the workers of a number of employee personal rights. After a short break, the workers resumed their resistance by gathering in Ankara once more on 1 April.

Criticism of unionists

bianet talked to TekGıda-İş Tokat Branch President Suat Karlıkaya who was surprised by the turn of events: "We did not expect such a situation when we arrived in Ankara". Karlıkaya said that his group was hardly able to enter the city. "We are people of this country. This kind of treatment is neither just nor appropriate. This means that somebody is disturbed by us. The government is afraid of us. That is the reason for the pressure and for the attempt to intimidate us".

Nuri Yılmaz, President of the 3^rd TekGıda-İş Branch in Izmir told bianet, "We wanted our voice to be heard but they treated us like enemies. There were ten times more policemen than workers. They acted as if we commit a criminal offence by every step we took. I condemn the overwhelming presence of the police". Yılmaz continued, "The government claims our actions to be unlawful, but in fact it is them who are behaving contrary to the law. [...] We are now waiting for the decision of the Constitutional Court related to the 4C regulation. After that, we will do whatever is needed".

Adana Branch President Cafer Yaşar said, "We were going to leave the place after the press release. They hindered us in doing so. This is a disgrace for the government. There is nothing like democracy. This is a police state. According to the government, none of our actions is legal. Yet, all of our actions are legal and rightful". (TK/VK)