Police detained miners and union officials outside the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry in Ankara after workers resumed protests over unpaid wages and compensation they say were covered by a ministry-mediated agreement.

The miners, employed by Eti Gümüş silver company and Doruk Madencilik mining company, both owned by Yıldızlar SSS Holding, had been protesting in Ankara for four days. They said they would remain until all outstanding payments were made.

Those detained included Independent Mine Workers Union (Bağımsız Maden-İş) Chair Gökay Çakır and organizing specialist Başaran Aksu. Two workers who became ill during the police intervention were taken to a hospital by ambulance.

Protests began in April

The dispute dates back to April, when Doruk Madencilik miners traveled from Eskişehir to Ankara on foot over months of unpaid wages and other receivables. They ended weeks of protests after the Labor and Social Security Ministry mediated a deal between the union and the company.

The ministry had said payment of the workers’ claims had been secured under an agreed timetable.

The miners resumed protests on June 1, claiming that the company had not fulfilled its end of the deal. After four days, the union announced that all outstanding payments had been made and said the action had ended in “victory.”

Workers began protesting again on Aug 9, this time joined by employees of Eti Gümüş.

According to Bağımsız Maden-İş, only about 50 of 176 workers at Eti Gümüş in Elazığ received part of their unpaid wages. The union said severance, notice compensation and payments related to retirement remained outstanding.

Doruk Madencilik workers were also still awaiting severance and notice compensation, wages for periods of mandatory unpaid leave and, in some cases, compensation related to union activity, according to the union.

The workers then began a sit-in outside the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry.

Negotiations with holding representatives

On the fourth day of the protest, four workers left the ministry area to meet Yıldızlar SSS Holding representatives. Union officials said the meeting produced no concrete result.

Aksu said the holding had initially denied owing the workers money before making limited payments, adding that the union had requested a meeting with ministry officials for four days without receiving a response.

“We are not leaving because we do not want to have to come here again,” Aksu said. “The ministry must take the initiative.”

Çakır said payments made so far covered only part of what workers were owed.

“If a worker is owed 100,000 liras, they paid 25,000 liras,” he said. “The boss now says, ‘We paid the money.’ If you paid the money, we would leave. As a union, we will stay here until not even one lira owed to one worker remains unpaid.”

Police intervened after union officials said they would not leave the ministry entrance until the outstanding claims were paid. Officers moved journalists away from the protest area and prevented them from filming the intervention.

Police then detained several miners, including Çakır and Aksu. (AEK/VK)