A group of lignite mine workers in the Alpagut village of Dodurga, Çorum, have been continuing their fight for unionization and collective bargaining rights since May 9.
The struggle is led by members of the Revolutionary Miners' Union (Dev Maden-Sen), affiliated with the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK). In a move to escalate their protest, the workers decided to take their resistance underground on May 22, 2024.
A worker, speaking on behalf of the striking group before descending into the mine, expressed their determination: "They are trying to intimidate us because we are unionized, but we will not be deterred. This mine is our bread, our sustenance, our home. We will fight to the end to claim our rights."
The union has been vocal about the workers' plight, stating that if their demands are not met, they are prepared to march from Çorum to Ankara. The union's social media posts reveal that the workers have achieved majority representation at the workplace and have been granted the right to engage in collective bargaining by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.
However, the employer has challenged this right with spurious reasons, going as far as to remove workers' transportation services, cut off their meals, and threaten them with termination. Despite these tactics, the workers have refused to submit to what they consider unlawful treatment and were subsequently forced into six months of unpaid leave.
"There is no plunder; mine workers are not slaves, and ODAŞ Yel Enerji is not the master! Our union will not condone illegality. Long live our just and honorable struggle!" said the union.
Over 2,000 mine workers killed in two decades
The mineworkers' current struggle is set against a backdrop of frequent deadly accidents and challenging conditions in Turkey’s mines. Notably, a February landslide at the Çöpler gold mine in Erzincan, eastern Turkey trapped nine workers, highlighting the ongoing risks faced by those in the mining industry.
Over the past two decades, more than 2,000 mine workers have been killed across the country in workplace-related incidents, according to the Health and Safety Labor Watch (İSİG), a group monitoring occupational fatalities. (VC/VK)
