Urgent Action: Mass protest of former Turkish tobacco monopoly workers continues

[Omaha Steve]

Since 15 December workers employed by the former state-owned tobacco company TEKEL, their family members and supporters have been demonstrating in Ankara in near-freezing temperatures in protest against a snap government decision to close their workplaces at the end of January 2010.

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

To send a protest message to the government of Turkey, click here:

http://cms.iuf.org/?q=node/157


Ron Oswald
General Secretary, IUF

International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF) 8, rampe du Pont-Rouge
1213 Petit Lancy, Switzerland
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
web-site: www.iuf.org

[Ghost Dog]

1. Tekel workers protest, demand transfer to other institutions

After Tekel’s privatization, the workers were employed according to Article 4/C of Law No. 657, which aims to prevent the victimization of workers; however, the law makes it possible to employ the workers temporarily and eliminates severance pay if the workers are laid off. The workers got off their buses in front of the Armada Mall and began to walk toward the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) headquarters, proceeding until a police barricade on Yaşam Street near the AK Party headquarters.

The workers carried placards reading “Don’t play with our future,” “We are workers, we are right, we will win” and “This fire will burn you, too.”

...

“The 12,000 Tekel workers who turned out will not leave until a solution is found. Tekel workers are demanding their legal rights through this protest. Politicians have decided to close the Tekel workers’ workplace. In light of this, what is right and legal is to transfer these workers to other institutions,” he explained.

/... http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=195649