Turkey: Prime Minister to meet up with Tekel workers

The protest of the Tekel workers is lasting for more than 40 days. Because of their consistent pressure the Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan has now decided to meet up with the trade union tomorrow evening. The hunger strike has now been postponed until Friday, pending on the results of the meeting with the Prime Minister.

Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan has decided to give an appointment on Thursday to Türk-İş administrators to discuss the ongoing protest staged by Tekel workers. The appointment granted by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan for tomorrow evening at 18:00 has become a source of hope for workers of the formerly state-owned alcohol and tobacco monopoly, better-known as Tekel, as they complete their 43rd day of protests staged in front of the TÜRK-İŞ (Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions) headquarters.

According to TÜRK-İŞ Chairman Mustafa Kumlu, who announced the affirmative news last night, the fact that Prime Minister Erdoğan is willing to meet with Tekel workers is a positive sign. Kumlu also expressed that if nothing results from the meeting, they will use then their power from coming from production to hold a country-wide demonstration on Wednesday, February 3rd. Kumlu stated; “To call it a general strike is not right, the conditions of a strike are different, we call this a general demonstration.”

Meanwhile, Tekel workers have been staging a hunger strike which was to resume last night at 17:00. However, the strike has now been postponed until Friday, January 29th, pending on the results of the meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Besides, thousands of intellectuals, journalists, academicians, activists in Turkey have sent a petition to Confederation leaders stating that they will support the decision of a general strike whenever it takes place.

Comradely,
The Hook

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