A group of miners from the Fernas mining company based in Manisa, western Turkey, marched to the parliament barefoot as part of their protests going on since Aug 26.
The company owned by MP Ferhat Nasıroğlu of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) fired several workers after they were unionized at the Independent Mine Workers’ Union (Bağımsız Maden-İş). The workers brought their protest to the capital city of Ankara on Oct 2, setting up a tent in the Kurtuluş Park in the governmental district of Çankaya.
Today, the workers, accompanied by opposition MPs, took another step to march towards the parliament. In response, police surrounded the park and prevented workers and union representatives from leaving the park. Workers protested by tapping their helmets on the ground while waiting for the barricade to be opened.
Workers protesting the police blockade:
Sorun çözülmezse Meclise yürüyeceğimizi günler öncesinden bildirdik ancak çözüm için herhangi bir adım atılmadı. Şimdi de Meclise yürümek isteyen madencilerin yolu kesiliyor.
— Bağımsız Maden İş (@bagimsizmadenis) October 10, 2024
Madenciler, sonu ne olursa olsun iradelerinden vazgeçmeyecek, Meclise yürüyecek!#MadencininYoluAçılsın pic.twitter.com/HWdqS097zz
Başaran Aksu, an organizing specialist at Independent Mineworkers' Union, made a public statement in the park, saying that they had met with all the parties that have a group in the parliament and that everyone they met agreed with them. “Then we are right to march, and the order given to the security forces here is also unlawful,” he said.
'We've been sold out'
A miner who survived the 2014 Soma mine explosion, Turkey’s deadliest mining incident, also spoke, saying, “We’ve been resisting for 46 days to ensure worker safety and health, but this is actually the employer’s responsibility,” he said. “I’ve buried 301 people, but I won’t let them bury these friends. I will resist, if necessary, even against the President.”
Özay Karakuş, another laid-off Fernas worker, expressed his frustration with both the ruling and opposition parties, saying, “We’ve been sold out. All the deputies in parliament have sold us out. There are 10 deputies here with us, but where are the rest? This government and opposition don’t see us as human beings. If we were human, they would give us our rights.”
After a three-hour standoff, the police eventually backed down and the workers began marching to the parliament barefoot.
Ankara sokaklarında madencilerin sesi yankılanıyor! @fnasiroglu, sen de duyuyor musun?#MadencininYoluAçılsın pic.twitter.com/gw81Rh2gCD
— Bağımsız Maden İş (@bagimsizmadenis) October 10, 2024
Background
Workers employed at Fernas Mining, owned by AKP deputy Ferhat Nasıroğlu in the Soma district of Manisa, organized under the Independent Mine Workers' Union (Bağımsız Maden İş) in response to poor working conditions, the inability to take leave, the lack of health and safety measures, bad meals, and low wages.
Initially, five unionized workers were dismissed, followed by two more. On August 26, miners started a protest to demand the reinstatement of their dismissed colleagues, as well as their rights. Since then, the number of dismissed workers has reached 95.
On Sep 17, when the workers attempted to stage a protest in front of Fernas Mining’s headquarters in the capital Ankara, the police detained 24 people.
On Sep 25, workers started a 'barefoot' march from Soma to Ankara and began a sit-in protest at Kurtuluş Park on Oct 2.
On Oct 3, MP Nasıroğlu held a press conference at the parliament, where he expressed his frustration that the dismissed workers had "come together in a serious and organized manner."
In response to Nasıroğlu's statements, the Independent Mine Workers' Union issued an open letter on Oct 4, addressing his remarks. They emphasized that “the workers have demands, and a solution can be reached through negotiation.”
(VK)
