Thursday’s strike ineffective, gov’t stands firm on Tekel issue

Tekel workers have been protesting in Ankara since Dec. 15, demanding that the government find them positions in other public institutions in the wake of the privatization of the monopoly. Following a decision by labor unions on Tuesday to hold a strike on Feb. 4 in support of the workers dismissed from Tekel, Turkey's alcohol and tobacco monopoly, workers from different labor unions participated in demonstrations in the provinces of İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Edirne, Mersin, Batman, Denizli and Antalya.

In addition to the demonstrations, workers from some labor unions across Turkey either staged a work slowdown or did not showed up for work. The strike, which was to cripple public services, has dealt only a slight blow to daily life.

Speaking to reporters in Ankara on Thursday, Prime Minister Erdoğan said the government was determined not to step down in the Tekel dispute and asked Tekel workers “not be deceived by some provocations.” He reiterated that the Tekel protest was illegal and the government will have to use the police force to end the protest by the end of this month. Erdoğan pointed out that the protest was occupying one of Ankara’s busiest avenues. He noted that the government has paid approximately 4,500 Tekel workers their severance pay since the beginning of the year.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Public Workers’ Labor Union (Kamu-Sen) and the Civil Servants Trade Union (Memur-Sen) announced early on Thursday that they would not participate in the strike but reiterated their support for the Tekel workers.

The unions, led by the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions (Türk-İş), are expected to meet today to decide on future steps concerning the issue.

İzmir’s public transportation crippled

The strike perhaps proved most effective in İzmir as most public transportation services were cancelled for the entire day. Transportation workers did not show up at work and residents of the city had difficulty getting to work from the early hours of the morning. People criticized the Greater İzmir Municipality for failing to take necessary measures to deal with the strike in advance. Service Sector Workers’ Union (Hizmet-İş) İzmir President Ramazan Turhan said people had difficulty to get to their workplaces and that the municipality was responsible for this. “They knew this was going to happen. They could at least have provided half of the public transportation services,” he argued. There was not a problem, however, with the city’s ferry and metro services. State railway workers in İzmir also supported the strike and some 1,000 workers did not show up for work on Thursday. With the exception of emergency service workers, the city’s health care employees also did not work on Thursday.

The governor’s offices in each province will start administrative inquiries on the public servants who participated in the strike and failed to show up to work on Thursday.

A view from a demonstration in İzmir as part of a one -day strike in support of employees dismissed from Tekel, Turkey’s alcohol and tobacco monopoly. Workers across Turkey held their own demonstrations.

Few of Ankara’s metro services were cancelled. Residents of Ankara’s Batıkent district went to work on public buses.

In İstanbul, flights were not affected by the strike as workers from the Civil Aviation Workers’ Union (Hava-İş) went to work and there were no problems with services at İstanbul Atatürk Airport. On Wednesday, the union invited its members to support the strike. However, this was followed by a warning to the workers from the Turkish Airlines (THY) administration. THY said they would cancel the labor contracts of workers those who took part in the strike.

Meanwhile, workers at İstanbul’s Haydarpaşa and Sirkeci train stations did not participate in the strike. People were able to make use of train services as usual. Hasan Bektaş from United Transportation Employees’ Union (BTS) told reporters that “they were left to decide on their own” as to whether to participate in the strike. Accusing the labor union presidents of showing off, he said the unions had failed to address the problems of the Tekel workers, who have been continuing their protest for the past 53 days.

Demonstrations in İstanbul and Ankara ended with little trouble following some minor tension between the police and demonstrators.

Workers from the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers’ Unions (DİSK) and the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KESK) gathered in Kadıköy and later took the ferry to meet other workers on the European side of the city. Gathering at the Eminönü pier, the workers proceeded to Saraçhane Park to deliver a statement to the press. On their way to Saraçhane some 1,500 workers blocked traffic at the entry of Unkapanı Bridge and the police intervened to break up the crowd. Following a short clash between the police and the demonstrators, the police retreated and workers continued on their way to their final destination. A group of workers and members of different unions and civil society organizations participated in a demonstration in Ankara’s Kolej district. The police closed the area to traffic. Workers from Republican People’s Party (CHP) headquarters also supported the Tekel strike and participated in the demonstrations.

Workers from the Union of Petroleum, Chemicals and Rubber Workers (Petrol-İş) in Batman gathered in front of their workplace and delivered a statement to the press. They later proceeded to the directorate’s headquarters carrying billboards which read “We are all Tekel workers.”

The strike also affected public services in Edirne, where workers at the special provincial administration, the Postal and Telecommunications General Directorate (PTT) and the State Waterworks Authority (DSİ) did not show up for work. Meanwhile, workers from Kamu-Sen left a demonstration in Mersin due to a last minute decision, saying the protest had “gone beyond its purpose.” The decision came after a call by some of the demonstrators to march to Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Mersin headquarters.

Labor, employer unions mixed on Tekel strike

In individual comments on the Tekel dispute on Thursday, representatives of labor and employer unions expressed mixed opinions about the one-day strike.

Speaking in front of the Türk-İş headquarters in Ankara, Türk-İş President Mustafa Kumlu called on the Prime Minister Erdoğan and ministers to visit Tekel workers in their tents. Tekel workers have been continuing their protest since Dec. 15, living in tents in front of Türk-İş headquarters on Sakarya Avenue, which is one of Ankara’s busiest streets.

“Tekel workers, I congratulate you for your determination and faith during this honorable struggle. You have broken new ground with this 53-day protest and today all workers and public servants in Turkey, the whole nation, supports your dispute, underlining that the Tekel workers are right in their struggle. However, the government failed to understand this fact,” Kumlu said. “We have started use our right not to vote, as granted by the Constitution,” Kumlu told an Anatolia news agency correspondent. Kumlu said this strike was a serious warning and hoped the government would take it into consideration. In a message to government officials, the Türk-İş head said: “Please come here and witness these people’s determination. I promise we will welcome you with applause.” Kumlu thanked the workers and unions that supported the Tekel strike and reiterated once again that the government has to address this problem as soon as possible.

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Association (KOBİDER) President Nurettin Özgenç told reporters in İstanbul on Thursday that the unions’ decision to stage a one-day strike was politically motivated and was far from protecting the workers’ rights. He called on the Tekel workers not to let themselves be manipulated by some provocateurs who seek personal gain from the protests. “Some groups who remained deaf to workers’ problems in the past are saying they support the Tekel workers today. This is nothing but hypocrisy and gaining benefit from the situation.” Özgenç said the Tekel strike will only increase tensions at a time when the markets are suffering from a contraction in business.

Kamu-Sen President Bircan Akyıldız visited Tekel workers and said the union is committed to all efforts to stand by the workers. “The Tekel issue has turned into a symbol of the workers’ struggle for their rights in Turkey.”

DİSK President Süleyman Çelebi called on the citizens to show patience during the strike. “I ask our fellow citizens not to shop, travel or go to hospitals except for in emergency situations. We need to unite as a nation in solidarity.”