January 12, 2006 [Sendika.org note on the history related to privatizations and public sector closures: After the right wing, pro-US military coup on September 12th in 1980, Turkey dashed into a chaotic free market economy. A frontal attack was launched against all public production and service industries as privatizations became the fashionable trend with the […]
January 12, 2006
[Sendika.org note on the history related to privatizations and public sector closures:
After the right wing, pro-US military coup on September 12th in 1980, Turkey dashed into a chaotic free market economy. A frontal attack was launched against all public production and service industries as privatizations became the fashionable trend with the encouragement from the IMF. In the list of public services closed in the banking industry, Sümerbank is the best known. It was founded in 1933 by the Turkish State to direct peoples savings towards the country’s development. But in 1987 a decision was reached to privatize it. Sümerbank was sold to the Garipoğlu Business Group in 1997. But the new owners emptied out the assets of the bank in an illegal practice commonly known as “hosing” and the State had to re-take ownership of it with huge losses in 1999 citing that it had been managed under highly “risky” circumstances. Aksantaş, a textile factory under Sümerbank was also privatized. It was the third largest factory in its industry but was seen as competition by Sabanci group, the country’s largest business group involved heavily in textile production and nearly all other profitable industries with close ties to the governments. Government Management first started the sabotage by rejecting all purchase orders to the Aksantaş factory, then complained that the state owned public factory was not profitable, thus justified laying off and closing the factory and opening the market for the high profit looting by private conglomerates. Sendika.org, MB. |
After closing down of public sector Sümerbank, Aksantaş, Çukobirlik and Et Balık Kurumu (Meat and Fish production), the decision to close TEKEL cigarette factory caused an uproar from the people living in and around Adana where the factory currently functions. People reflected their frustration with the current ruling religious party saying, “Instead of creating new jobs, the JDP (Justice and Development Party) is closing down the factories and privatizing them! If they close down TEKEL, there will not be any factories left in Adana. What the hell are they trying to do?”
“JDP is acting on its own will”
Mehmet Karataş, a store owner stated that in order to challenge the attacks of the government, people had to unite. He also said that if the factory closes more than 2000 people will be left unemployed.
He emphasized that the people living in Adana should support the resistance of the workers. He said, “There are those who pretend to be the opposition to the government. All they do is sleep. That is why we, the people of Adana need to get together and take control of our factories here.”
Mehmet Yıldırım, another store keeper said it was necessary to have the government repeal its decision. “There needs to be an action to make the government reverse its decision. There is a need to give consciousness to the people, we need to support the workers and unite with them. JDP is acting as it wishes, they said they would solve the unemployment issue, but they are doing completely the opposite. They are closing down public works or privatizing them. While they disenfranchise small business owners like us for joining the European Union, they have doubled the unemployment.”
Yıldırım also added that the government wanted to serve the large corporations and help them grow more. He said, “Some people won’t get off of their planes, travel to each and every country of the globe, they appear at religious pilgrimages and put on a show but do not think of their own citizens. I am working every single day here whether it’s holiday or the weekend, but I am still going hungry. What does a hungry person do? He will attack left and right!”
“We do not only support, but we take ownership of the struggle”
Hacı Yıldız, a student preparing for the university entrance exams, thinks it is a futile attempt to close the factory. Yıldız said, “Workers showed their determination against privatization and forced them to back away. They may do that again.” He added that the decision to close the profitable factories was a contradiction. “They said it was technologically backward for Erdemir(steel plant), but they could not conceal the fact that it had the most advanced technology in Europe and it was in the top 5 profitable factories in Turkey. They want to transfer the whole country to private enterprise. While we are trying to make Adana the fourth city in the country, now they are trying to push it downward. As the citizens here, we are with the TEKEL workers to the very end” he said.
Hasan Ağca, another person interviewed, thinks that the factories of the country are being squandered to some people and the tricks played in other public facilities are being staged this time at the TEKEL plant. He emphasized they were on the side of the workers, and added, “Not to be on the side of the resistance means accepting the conditions. This struggle is being carried only by the workers at this time, but I am hoping that we will get over this in time.”
“Tobacco Producers will also disappear”
Deniz Ulutürk, whose family is a tobacco producer worries that the decision to close will adversely effect the tobacco producers the most. Ulutürk says if the decision to close the plant is implemented, the foreign tobacco interests will completely dominate the market. He said, “We, all of us, who put bread on the table from this factory will be left hungry. 700 workers will lose their jobs. This is not only a problem that effects the tobacco workers or the tobacco producers, This is a problem for the whole city of Adana. Everyday the unemployment grows. We need to be with the workers on this.”
Source Koçak – Suat Aytimur / Evrensel
MB.