Some 10,000 workers of the former state-run tobacco monopoly, their family members and supporters are currently demonstrating in Ankara in protest against a snap government decision to close their workplaces at the end of January 2010. They demand fair treatment in accordance with the law, which means the transfer to other public enterprises with their full employee benefits.
Lead by their union Tek Gida Is, the food workers union, the TEKEL workers who gathered in the country’s capital are resisting attacks and assaults by the police, the state, the bosses and the weather.
The president of Tek Gida Is, gave a statement to the workers in front of the largest labor union confederation Turk-Is, where he said the demands of the workers are very clear as they reject all government plans to privatize the jobs and take away the benefits of the workers.
More images and information from sendika.org here. IUF campaign information here.
