The labour of the miner cannot be privatized
Çayırhan mine workers resumed their resistance against privatisation. Continuing their resistance despite the cold weather and gendarmerie blockade, the workers announced that they will keep on watch outside the mine until the privatisation order is withdrawn.
ÇAYIRHAN Thermal Power Plant workers have resumed their protests the sale of assets. Miners opposing the privatisation of the Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant and Mining Quarry in Nallıhan district of Ankara have resumed their protests. Mine workers gathered in front of Çayırhan Mine Quarry with their morning shift yesterday. The workers were surrounded by gendarmerie and their march and protest were tried to be blocked. The miners broke through the barricade and decided to continue their protest in front of the mine until the asset sale and privatisation are called off.
The workers had earlier resisted for 9 days against privatisation by locking themselves inside the mine on 20 November 2024, and while the mine workers, who had decided to march to Ankara, from Çayırhan to Beypazarı, the government authorities had postponed the privatisation and asset sale of Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant and Mine Quarries to 4 March 2025. The workers suspended their march for this reason and restarted their march from Beypazarı to Ankara on 10 February, reaching Ankara on 13 February, but again their demands were not accepted. The workers revived their protest yesterday.
Making a press statement at the mine, Maden-İş (Mine Workers‘Union) General President Nurettin Akçul said, “We locked ourselves in the mine; we held a watch in tents; we walked for kilometres under snow and frost; we said, ‘Privatisation of this place is almost like signing our death warrant’, we said. Whatever we did, we could not convince the authorities, they ignored us, they turned a blind eye. We buried our loved ones in the ground, but we always resisted. We sacrificed our lives, we put our loved ones in the ground, but we always resisted, we always worked, we always survived. It is a fight for bread. It is a fight for the future of our children, for our labour, our workplace and our bread. Authorities with even a small bit of remorse and mercy, please go to Nallıhan, Çayırhan and Beypazarı. Talk to the locals, the families here. Go to the lodgings. Look at the children. See that innocence in children's eyes, read the confusion in their eyes as they wonder what will happen to their fathers and where they will live. If not, just listen to them. Your children do not live in poor lodgings, your wives do not worry about what to cook tomorrow. Because no matter what, your pot is boiling, no matter what, your children are well fed,’’ he said.
LET US KEEP WHAT IS OURS
Union President Akçul said, ‘You left our colleagues no choice but to risk their lives. Our concern is obvious, our demands are clear. Here we call out to the authorities, the government and the bosses again, stop this mistake right away. Do not disregard public property, the workers' hard work and the sacredness of labour. Stop privatisation immediately. Our job security must be ensured. Let us keep what is ours. Do not imprison our friends who say ‘If we do not fight this struggle today, this injustice will be knocking on everyone's door’, do not trap them in the darkness. We are not here only for the miners and energy workers, but for all labourers and our people. The miners and energy workers have been resisting for months, and are still resisting today, saying ‘Dying, but not giving up’. It is not their deaths, but their lives that will keep us alive.’ After the speech, he fainted due to low blood pressure. Akçul was taken to hospital, and his condition was reported to be fine.
