February 8, 2006 Malatya Tekel (Alcohol and Sprits State Monopoly) workers, joined with their families, marched from their worksite to the Post Office to protest the planned closure of their plant. Dersim Tekel workers sent messages of solidarity in support of the protest march. The workers, numbering about 500, carried signs saying “Resist and Win”, […]
February 8, 2006
Malatya Tekel (Alcohol and Sprits State Monopoly) workers, joined with their families, marched from their worksite to the Post Office to protest the planned closure of their plant. Dersim Tekel workers sent messages of solidarity in support of the protest march.
The workers, numbering about 500, carried signs saying “Resist and Win”, “No Work No Peace” and asked for the people’s support. They also kept their children at home away from school on February 6th in protest because if the plant is closed there would be no school to send their children to.
Server Akbudak, Regional Representative of Tek Gıda-İş Union (Food Workers Union) talked on behalf of workers and said they wanted to privatize Tekel for nothing. He asked all the people from tradesmen to drivers to stand by the workers and support them.
A Tekel worker’s son, Lütfü Abasioğlu also talked to the protesters. Addressing the Prime Minister Erdoğan and Minister of Education Unakıtan, he said, “If Tekel is closed, how will all the children like me go school? Tekel provides our livelihood. You are taking away our food. It is unconscionable to gamble with our future.”
Meanwhile the workers in Dersim sent the Malata workers a placard of solidarity carrying the signatures of various unions, associations and organizations.
E.K.
