Labour Service
The struggle of workers at Doruk Mining, affiliated with Yıldızlar SSS Holding, ended in victory on the 9th day of their 17th hunger strike. Mining workers who set out from Eskişehir Doruk Mining on April 13 to claim their rights and marched to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources in Ankara announced that they had secured all of their seized rights.
Gökay Çakır, General President of the Independent Mining Workers’ Union, and Head of Organizing Başaran Aksu, who represent the organized workers, announced that the protest had concluded successfully following a meeting yesterday with Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi, the deputy ministers of Energy and Labor, and the General Director of Security. In a statement from the union, it was noted that Yıldızlar SSS Holding had pledged to grant all employee rights, wages, and compensation that had been denied. It was announced that following negotiations between the company and the ministries, the rights of all affected workers—including those placed on unpaid leave—would be restored within a 15-day period.
A 15-DAY PERIOD HAS BEEN GRANTED
Gökay Çakır, General President of the Independent Mining Workers’ Union, who made the statement following the meeting with the minister, said the following in his remarks: “The meeting went well. Some of our colleagues have received their payments. The Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Labor, and the Ministry of Labor have given us their word. I call out to all unions: Stand up for your workers.” The workers are in a dire situation. Doruk Mining workers walked 180 kilometres to claim their rights. You too must defend the rights of your workers. All workers’ rights have been secured. The company has promised that all wages will be paid within 15 days. Workers who wish to continue working will not be eligible for these benefits; they will only receive their salaries. Workers who wish to leave will do so after receiving all their rights. We have not caused any worker to suffer up to this point; as Independent Mining Workers, we give our word."
DEMAND YOUR RIGHTS
Speaking after Çakır, the union’s organizing specialist Başaran Aksu said, “First of all, we’re seeing microphones here that we hadn’t seen before,” as Anadolu Agency and Haber Türk extended their microphones during his statement. We’re glad to see them. They weren’t here from the start of the resistance,” he said.
“We secured commitments regarding unpaid union benefits, employee rights, the reinstatement of Social Security contributions for workers forced into unpaid leave, the payment of their wages, the payment of wages for colleagues currently in court proceedings, and the payment of wages for all affected workers—including those who haven’t applied to our union,” stated Aksu, “We concluded our process with a guarantee to be fulfilled in 15 days in the presence of the ministers. We have brought our resistance to a victorious conclusion. I appeal to the entire working class: Do not be afraid to demand your rights,” he said. Union leaders, while announcing the end of the resistance and the hunger strike, called on the public to follow the 15-day process.
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WHAT HAS HAPPENED?
In 2022, workers at Doruk Mining—which was transferred to Yıldız SSS Holding—decided to march from Mihalıççık, Eskişehir, to Ankara on April 12–13 under the leadership of the Independent Mining Workers’ Union to reclaim their rights. After an eight-day march covering 180 kilometres, the miners reached Ankara and attempted to march to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. The group was met with a police intervention involving pepper spray, and approximately 30 workers and union officials were detained. The workers were later released after giving their statements. The workers, who continued their struggle by launching a hunger strike in Ankara, were detained and later released twice after attempting to march to the Ministry again, both times facing police intervention. The Resistance sparked a broad wave of support across many segments of society, from social media to television screens, from stadium stands to the art community. On the 17th day of the resistance and the 9th day of the hunger strike, the miners’ struggle ended in victory.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Emekçilerin tüm talepleri karşılandı: Maden işçileri kazandı, published in BirGün newspaper on April 29, 2026.
