Police block power plant workers’ march to Ankara, detain union leaders
Police used pepper spray to stop workers from an Eskişehir thermal power plant marching to Ankara over unpaid wages and working conditions, detaining two union leaders.
The workers, organized by the DİSK Energy Workers Union (Enerji-Sen), were on the second day of their march from the Yunus Emre Thermal Power Plant in Eskişehir, central Turkey. They had planned to reach Ayaş in the adjacent province of Ankara today.
Police surrounded the workers as they attempted to resume the march after stopping at a gas station, according to a statement from the union.
Officers blocked the group and used pepper spray when they insisted on continuing. The union's chair Süleyman Keskin and secretary-general Emin Atsız were detained during the incident. No workers were reported to be taken into custody.
Video showing moments of the altercation:
🔻 Yıldızlar SSS Holding’e bağlı Doruk Madencilik bünyesindeki Yunus Emre Termik Santrali işçileri, 3 aydır ödenmeyen maaşları ve insanlık dışı çalışma koşullarına karşı DİSK Enerji-Sen (@enerjisen) öncülüğünde Ankara’daki holding merkezine yürüyor.
— bianet (@bianet_org) July 22, 2026
👉 DİSK/Enerji-Sen Genel… pic.twitter.com/iUQE9gt7yj
An ambulance was called to the gas station for workers affected by the pepper spray.
Police later attempted to disperse the group, but the workers said they would remain at the site.
The union called for the release of its executives.
Workers' demands
Workers at the Yunus Emre plant say they have not received their wages for three months and that payments have also been repeatedly delayed in the past.
In June, the plant management sought to place workers on unpaid leave. It later limited the leave period to 10 days following objections.
Workers have also raised concerns about occupational health and safety measures. They say they were given only one set of work clothes during winter and received no work clothes for summer.
They also say they have had to purchase their own gloves and that the masks provided by the company are insufficient in number and do not meet required standards.
The plant also lacks an ambulance, which concerns workers about access to hospitals during emergencies.
Workers travel about 60 kilometers each day to reach the plant and they say the company’s shuttle buses are poorly maintained.
More than 350 workers have joined Enerji-Sen in an effort to improve conditions. The Labor and Social Security Ministry has determined that the union has the required authorization to begin collective bargaining talks.
The workers are demanding payment of their outstanding wages, the immediate start of collective bargaining and stronger occupational health and safety measures.
The action is the second labor dispute involving Yıldızlar SSS Holding in recent months. Workers at the holding’s Doruk Mining company previously staged a strike and marched to Ankara during a campaign lasting nearly two months. They later secured payment of their outstanding receivables. Workers at the Yunus Emre plant then sought to pursue a similar course.
Doruk Madencilik miners receive all unpaid dues after resuming protest
(HA/VK)
