Protesters call for labor union leader's head in Turkey

Thousands met Sunday to protest the government’s labor policies but ended up demanding a labor union leader resign after he failed to call for a general strike.

More than 25,000 people took to streets in protest against the government’s labor policies when he Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions, or Türk-İş, staged a wide-range demonstration called “Democracy and Rights for Livelihood, Peace and Freedom.”

Some 560 buses carried protesters from across the country to the capital. The group began meeting at Ankara Train Station in the morning and then walked toward the central Sıhhiye district, carrying banners and flags.

Opposing political parties and non-governmental organizations including women’s foundations, student groups and gender rights groups were also present to outline labor rights at Ankara’s Sıhhiye Square on the 34th day of demonstrations held by workers from the country’s former state-owned alcohol and tobacco monopoly known as Tekel.

Police were on highest alert to secure safety controls along the demonstrators’ route, which was closed to traffic. Five thousand policemen were on duty to prevent any violence.

The crowd chanted slogans of “general strike” and “labor will win” during the mass meeting, which started with a concert by folk singer Onur Akın.

Mustafa Kumlu, head of Türk-İş, urged the government to introduce immediate solutions rather than be annoyed with demonstrations.

“Tekel workers have been staging demonstration in Ankara to protect their livelihood despite freezing cold. Laborers from the fire brigade have been demonstrating at Saraçhane Park outside Istanbul for more than a month. Laborers from privatized sugar factories have taken to streets in various provinces for months,” said Kumlu.  

“There is no ideological or political reason behind this struggle,” sadi Kumlu. “They ignore their own mistakes and unfair decisions. You’re struggling to display how the country got poor due to privatization policies.”

The governmental policies contradict its announced social and democratic aims as part of European Union accession talks, Kumlu claimed.

Urging the government not to sign an agreement with the International Monetary Fund, Kumlu said: “They ignored our calls to focus on social state policies. Why is Prime Minister talking about a new agreement with the IMF? You have cut off our insurance and social rights. Isn’t it enough? You need to get approval from the public, not the IMF.”

Protest turned against Kumlu

The crowd expected that Kumlu would call for a nationwide strike but he didn’t do so in his speech and they were disappointed. Some Tekel workers climbed onto the platform and shouted slogans including “Kumlu come here” and “Let’s go general strike.” The group resisted climbing down for 45 minutes while the angry crowd asked Kumlu to resign.

The following concert by singer Alişan was canceled due to high tension at the scene. The crowd later walked toward Türk-İş headquarters and occupied the second floor where Kumlu has his office. Kumlu was absent and Türk-İş Secretary-General Mustafa Türkel was trying to ease tension at that time the Hürriyet Daily News went to print.

Some 2,000 Tekel workers and their families sitting outside the Türk-İş headquarters earlier announced they would stage a “death fast” if their demands were not met.