Melisa Ay
Mining labourers all across the country are on their feet for their rights. Mine owners, who are among the capitalists that have fattened themselves up the most under the AKP government, are simultaneously associated with environmental plunder, industrial accidents, and the extortion of rights.
The excuse of the bosses for the unpaid rights of the mining labourers, who work hundreds of metres below the ground in one of the most dangerous sectors, is the economic crisis.
The mining labourer is deprived even of the right to work for double the minimum wage, which was won through struggle following the 301 miners lost in the Soma Mine Massacre.
Double the minimum wage, which is the statutory minimum wage in enterprises where lignite and hard coal are extracted, stands today at 56,150 Liras, which is below the poverty line.
The number of workers employed in coal and lignite extraction decreased by 23.7 per cent from March 2024 to March 2025.
The number of employees in metal ore mining in 2026 is still approximately 13.2 per cent below the 2023 level. While those who are dismissed cannot receive their severance payments, the salaries of active employees are not being paid either.
While mining labourers try to earn money through day labour in casual jobs, their entitlements from their insured and full-time jobs are extorted so that mine owners can grow through more open pits and more exploitation.
Although the reasons appear different in the demonstrations from Edirne to Trabzon, from Elazığ to Kütahya, from Eskişehir to Manisa's Soma, the demands are common: the payment of unpaid receivables, a wage worthy of human dignity, a safe workplace where occupational health and safety measures are taken, and the recognition of constitutional union rights.
While the labourers—who were victimised by a concordat in Edirne, whose rights were completely unpaid in Eskişehir, who were left unemployed in Soma, who were made to work with expired equipment in Kütahya, and who received their last salary in February in Trabzon—pour out onto the streets across the country for their rights, almost all of them plan to shout their voices, to which the Palace turns a deaf ear, on the road to Ankara.
EDIRNE:
WORKERS BLOCKED ENTRY AND EXIT TO THE COMPANY
Workers at Özşen Mining, owned by the Kiremitçiler Group, which is known for its closeness to the AKP, are determined not to give up their demonstrations without receiving their rights.
The workers, who blocked the pit to entries and exits yesterday, said, "Let us operate the pit, let us share our rights ourselves." The workers stated that even if their financial receivables were paid to the last penny, they would not go underground as long as their union rights were extorted.
On the 23rd day of the resistance, the workers went in front of the company building located in the Uzunköprü district and blocked entry and exit to the building.
HEADED FOR ANKARA
The workers, who started their resistance with demands for the reinstatement of those dismissed, the payment of salaries unpaid for three months, the payment of overtime wages unpaid for a year, the payment of severance rights to retired miners, and the improvement of working conditions in accordance with occupational health and safety rules, also announced their action schedule.
Independent Mine Workers' Union Organising Specialist Başaran Aksu said, "It is a big mistake to perceive our good-intentioned attitudes and approaches at the negotiation table as helplessness or weakness. We have moved to the second stage of our resistance; we have blocked the mine entries and exits. Tomorrow (today), we will go to the opening of the Selimiye Mosque, which President Erdoğan will attend, and on Monday, we are coming to Ankara."
The union announced that Özşen labourers would also go and stage a demonstration at the opening of the Selimiye Mosque by the AKP President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Announcing that they will also go to the Lüleburgaz Rally, which Özgür Özel will attend on Saturday, the miners stated that they will be in front of the Ministry of Energy in Ankara on Monday, 15 June.
TRABZON:
THE PATIENCE IS AT ITS LIMIT
Mine workers employed at the Nesko Mining enterprise, which operates under SSS Yıldızlar Holding in the Kayabaşı Neighbourhood of Trabzon’s Yomra district, held a demonstration in Meydan Park for their wages that have been unpaid for months.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues working approximately 300 metres below the ground in the Yomra district, miner Muhteşem İskender explained that besides their wages unpaid for months, the severance payments of the workers who were dismissed had not been paid either.
İskender said, "Some of our friends are facing enforcement proceedings, some of our friends have had their gas cut off, and some of our friends are in trouble with lawyers. We want our voices to be heard."
Stating that they have been experiencing problems with the mining company for years, İskender said the following: “As we come to the middle of the year 2026, the firm has only paid us our January and February salaries and has made no payment for the remaining months.
We are in a difficult situation. We have families and children. We have been suffering from this trouble for years. Although some of our colleagues have left the job, they have been unable to receive their severance and similar fringe benefits. We are miners, we are labourers, we are under the ground. But patience has run out.”
NO STRENGTH LEFT TO ENDURE
“If, in the coming period, they fail to address our grievances and help us out of this predicament—including in Ankara—we will take every possible course of action. We will go and seek justice. We have no strength left to endure this.”
While the protest of the workers intimidated the boss, it was learnt that the monthly wages were deposited into accounts and a promise was made for 20 June for the remaining one month's payment. However, no payment was made to the workers who have outstanding severance pay receivables inside.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Maden patronlarının fıtratında gasp ve talan var, published in BirGün newspaper on June 12, 2026.
