WARNING: This is the OLD IUF website.
Visit the NEW IUF website here: http://www.iuf.org


UPDATE on TEKEL Workers Protest in Ankara

Printer-friendly version

Workers, their family members and supporters have been demonstrating in near-freezing temperatures in protest against a snap government decision to close their workplaces at the end of January 2010.

The protest began in front of the headquarters of the AKP (the political party in power), but the police cleared the area on 16 December and forced the demonstrators to a nearby park. The following day, police put up barricades around the park and then used water hoses and tear gas against the demonstrators. Police violence escalated and clubs were used against the demonstrators, many of whom had to be hospitalised. Mustafa Türkel, president of IUF-affiliate Tekgida-Is, which represents these workers, and general secretary of the national confederation Türk-Is, was arrested, but then released later that evening.

The police violence caused an outcry in the Turkish Parliament, but the ruling party continues to refuse to accede to the workers' demand that they be given alternative employment with their full employee benefits, as the law on privatisation provides.

The protesters are now gathered in front of the headquarters of the Türk-Is national trade union confederation, while about a dozen workers remain in the the park on hunger strike (picture below). Despite police attempts to prevent further busloads of TEKEL workers from entering the city, their numbers are steadily increasing. The city of Ankara has provided them with shelter in sports facilities and Tekgida-Is is providing food and transport.

 

Act Now! - PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKEY AS A MATTER OF URGENCY!

These workers are determined to carry on their protest until the government accedes to their demands. And they urgently need your support!

 

 

 

IUF.
IUF - Uniting Food, Farm and Hotel Workers World-Wide

About us
Our members
IUF newswire

Join our mailing list!

Campaigns

screamdelez.org

IUF Video News

Members only

IUF affiliates have been given passwords to access this content:
Meeting documents
TNC Updates

Facebook logo. Twitter logo.

Do you work for ...

Other union news

Global unions

News from the global union federations

LabourStart The news and campaigning website of the international trade union movement

RadioLabour Daily
RadioLabour

Daily news broadcasts

Archives

The old IUF home page in English

Archived materials from before 2009: Editorials, Urgent Actions, News