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- Ocak 16, 2025
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The mine workers' march against the asset sale of Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant and Mining Quarry in Ankara’s Nallıhan district, which began on February 10 in Beypazarı, concluded in front of the Ministry of Treasury and Finance on its fourth day.
On the fourth day of the march, the workers set off from Anıtpark and proceeded to the Ministry of Treasury and Finance. Under heavy police security, they marched along the route, making their voices heard by tapping their hard hats on the ground in front of the ministry. Speaking about the latest developments regarding the asset sale following the workers' protest, Maden-İş Union General President Nurettin Akçul emphasized that the revised tender specifications did not provide any guarantees for workers and were open to exploitation. He stated:
“We traveled to Ankara to explain our problems. When the postponement decision was made, we saw it as a positive step and halted our march, considering our state and workplace to prevent any disruption in production. We returned to our jobs, hoping that negotiations would begin and this mistake would be corrected. Until four days ago, we were waiting, but we learned that only one or two articles in the revised specifications had actually been changed. The so-called good news they presented states that at least 2 thousand 50 workers will be employed. Additionally, the phrase ‘the buyer company will endeavor to give priority to employees working in the assets subject to the tender’ is misleading, open to manipulation, and provides no real job security for workers. Furthermore, they are pressuring workers to resign by offering 12 months’ severance pay to those who quit and giving them just four months to vacate their lodgings. We have seen that they did not hear the workers' voices at all. We have been on the road for four days. Throughout this process, we received strong support from political party representatives and the public. Everyone understood our problem—except for the authorities.”
Akçul stressed that thermal power plants and mining sites were declared “national investments” in the late 1970s and that local citizens sacrificed their lands for the state. He pointed out that miners, once hailed as heroes in difficult times, are now being ignored. He continued:
“They keep claiming that ‘these enterprises are unprofitable!’ But we know exactly how much profit this place generates, and so do they. The privatization of such profitable and strategically significant public facilities does not only impoverish the workers but also the local communities and our country as a whole.Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant and mining sites are publicly owned strategic assets that should be protected by the state and belong to the people. They are not meant to be profit-making ventures for private companies. We will never allow our sweat, labor, and living spaces to be sold for nothing. We will continue to resist—side by side—against policies that disregard the hard work of laborers and seek to transfer public assets for nothing. We will fight until the very end, as we have been doing for months.”
Calling for the cancellation of the privatization, Akçul made a direct appeal:
“We call on the Minister of Finance. Until now, you have ignored us, but now it is time to listen and respond to our demands. Take us seriously. If, despite everything, you insist on privatization, then we demand these facilities for ourselves. If this privatization is truly a well-intentioned and state-beneficial initiative, without ulterior motives, then hand over these facilities to the workers, the people, and local stakeholders. As the Turkish Mine Workers Union and Tes-İş Union, we are ready to lead such a transfer. Give us your support, and we will continue to operate these facilities for our livelihood together. Let the profits remain with the state, the workers, and the people, the rightful owners of this enterprise rather than being monopolized by a few. Once again, we call on all relevant authorities: Do not ignore Çayırhan’s cry any longer. Do not turn a blind eye to the miners and energy workers. March 4 is just days away—it is still not too late. Turn back from this grave mistake and abandon this decision, which will weigh on your conscience in the future. If you refuse to change course, we will not back down either. We are determined to carry our struggle to the highest level through legitimate means, no matter where it leads. Our demand is clear, and our stance is firm, either cancellation or cancellation. Long live the mine workers, long live the energy workers, long live the organized struggle of labor!”
The miners, who started underground resistance on 20 November 2024 against the privatisation of Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant and mining sites in Nallıhan district of Ankara, started a march from Beypazarı to the Privatisation Administration in Ankara. The march started at 09.00 February 10. Nurettin Akçul, President of the Turkish Mine Workers Union, made a short statement before the start of the march and said:
"We have been struggling for months, Turkey heard our voice but the Ministry did not. We interrupted our march, which we started in November, with all our good intentions when the privatisation to be held in December was postponed to March. We will continue our struggle until this asset sale under the name of privatisation is cancelled. During this period, we said that the Ministry would make the necessary negotiations with us and give up this decision. Because we were filled with the belief that “Our state protects its workers, cares for the labourer, does not create victims out of the righteous”. But unfortunately, no one has knocked on the worker's door for months. This is our work, our sweat, our future, our bread and butter. If we give up today, our children will ask for an account tomorrow. We no longer want postponement and stalling, we want this decision to be completely abandoned. Let's protect our national wealth together."
Noting that the specifications were amended in a few articles, Akçul explained the amended articles as follows:
"In these articles, which are announced as good news, the number of workers is stated as 2050 and supposedly assured. But there is no regulation on vested rights. They have given a favour by increasing the 4 months they set as the period of vacating the lodgings to 12 months. Are they underestimating our intelligence, or are they just giving us a small taste to keep us quiet?"
Approximately 500 mine workers went underground and locked themselves in the mine on 19 November against the decision to privatise the Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant mine sites. The resistance of the miners underground then spread to all the mines, and miners began to struggle against privatisation both underground and above ground. After 9 days of resistance, a march to the Ministry of Treasury and Finance started on 28 November, and as the march continued, the Privatisation Administration announced that the tender was postponed for three months. ‘The postponement is a distraction, the privatisation should be cancelled,’ the workers said in reaction to the decision.
On the fourth day of the march, the workers set off from Anıtpark and proceeded to the Ministry of Treasury and Finance. Under heavy police security, they marched along the route, making their voices heard by tapping their hard hats on the ground in front of the ministry. Speaking about the latest developments regarding the asset sale following the workers' protest, Maden-İş Union General President Nurettin Akçul emphasized that the revised tender specifications did not provide any guarantees for workers and were open to exploitation. He stated:
“We traveled to Ankara to explain our problems. When the postponement decision was made, we saw it as a positive step and halted our march, considering our state and workplace to prevent any disruption in production. We returned to our jobs, hoping that negotiations would begin and this mistake would be corrected. Until four days ago, we were waiting, but we learned that only one or two articles in the revised specifications had actually been changed. The so-called good news they presented states that at least 2 thousand 50 workers will be employed. Additionally, the phrase ‘the buyer company will endeavor to give priority to employees working in the assets subject to the tender’ is misleading, open to manipulation, and provides no real job security for workers. Furthermore, they are pressuring workers to resign by offering 12 months’ severance pay to those who quit and giving them just four months to vacate their lodgings. We have seen that they did not hear the workers' voices at all. We have been on the road for four days. Throughout this process, we received strong support from political party representatives and the public. Everyone understood our problem—except for the authorities.”
"WE WILL CONTINUE TO RESIST POLICIES THAT TRANSFER PUBLIC ASSETS FOR NOTHING"
Akçul stressed that thermal power plants and mining sites were declared “national investments” in the late 1970s and that local citizens sacrificed their lands for the state. He pointed out that miners, once hailed as heroes in difficult times, are now being ignored. He continued:
“They keep claiming that ‘these enterprises are unprofitable!’ But we know exactly how much profit this place generates, and so do they. The privatization of such profitable and strategically significant public facilities does not only impoverish the workers but also the local communities and our country as a whole.Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant and mining sites are publicly owned strategic assets that should be protected by the state and belong to the people. They are not meant to be profit-making ventures for private companies. We will never allow our sweat, labor, and living spaces to be sold for nothing. We will continue to resist—side by side—against policies that disregard the hard work of laborers and seek to transfer public assets for nothing. We will fight until the very end, as we have been doing for months.”
"DO NOT IGNORE ÇAYIRHAN’S CRY ANY LONGER"
Calling for the cancellation of the privatization, Akçul made a direct appeal:
“We call on the Minister of Finance. Until now, you have ignored us, but now it is time to listen and respond to our demands. Take us seriously. If, despite everything, you insist on privatization, then we demand these facilities for ourselves. If this privatization is truly a well-intentioned and state-beneficial initiative, without ulterior motives, then hand over these facilities to the workers, the people, and local stakeholders. As the Turkish Mine Workers Union and Tes-İş Union, we are ready to lead such a transfer. Give us your support, and we will continue to operate these facilities for our livelihood together. Let the profits remain with the state, the workers, and the people, the rightful owners of this enterprise rather than being monopolized by a few. Once again, we call on all relevant authorities: Do not ignore Çayırhan’s cry any longer. Do not turn a blind eye to the miners and energy workers. March 4 is just days away—it is still not too late. Turn back from this grave mistake and abandon this decision, which will weigh on your conscience in the future. If you refuse to change course, we will not back down either. We are determined to carry our struggle to the highest level through legitimate means, no matter where it leads. Our demand is clear, and our stance is firm, either cancellation or cancellation. Long live the mine workers, long live the energy workers, long live the organized struggle of labor!”
WHAT HAPPENNED?
The miners, who started underground resistance on 20 November 2024 against the privatisation of Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant and mining sites in Nallıhan district of Ankara, started a march from Beypazarı to the Privatisation Administration in Ankara. The march started at 09.00 February 10. Nurettin Akçul, President of the Turkish Mine Workers Union, made a short statement before the start of the march and said:
"We have been struggling for months, Turkey heard our voice but the Ministry did not. We interrupted our march, which we started in November, with all our good intentions when the privatisation to be held in December was postponed to March. We will continue our struggle until this asset sale under the name of privatisation is cancelled. During this period, we said that the Ministry would make the necessary negotiations with us and give up this decision. Because we were filled with the belief that “Our state protects its workers, cares for the labourer, does not create victims out of the righteous”. But unfortunately, no one has knocked on the worker's door for months. This is our work, our sweat, our future, our bread and butter. If we give up today, our children will ask for an account tomorrow. We no longer want postponement and stalling, we want this decision to be completely abandoned. Let's protect our national wealth together."
Noting that the specifications were amended in a few articles, Akçul explained the amended articles as follows:
"In these articles, which are announced as good news, the number of workers is stated as 2050 and supposedly assured. But there is no regulation on vested rights. They have given a favour by increasing the 4 months they set as the period of vacating the lodgings to 12 months. Are they underestimating our intelligence, or are they just giving us a small taste to keep us quiet?"
CANCEL THE PRIVITISATION
Approximately 500 mine workers went underground and locked themselves in the mine on 19 November against the decision to privatise the Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant mine sites. The resistance of the miners underground then spread to all the mines, and miners began to struggle against privatisation both underground and above ground. After 9 days of resistance, a march to the Ministry of Treasury and Finance started on 28 November, and as the march continued, the Privatisation Administration announced that the tender was postponed for three months. ‘The postponement is a distraction, the privatisation should be cancelled,’ the workers said in reaction to the decision.