{"id":143589,"date":"2026-08-11T08:11:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T08:11:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/143589\/"},"modified":"2026-08-11T08:11:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T08:11:12","slug":"scores-of-miners-detained-while-protesting-unpaid-wages-outside-turkeys-energy-ministry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/143589\/","title":{"rendered":"Scores of miners detained while protesting unpaid wages outside Turkey\u2019s energy ministry"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Miners from silver producer Eti G\u00fcm\u00fc\u015f and coal-mining company Doruk Mining were detained in Ankara on Monday while protesting unpaid wages, severance claims and unpaid leave outside Turkey\u2019s Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, the Bianet news website reported.<\/p>\n

Both businesses are affiliated with the Y\u0131ld\u0131zlar SSS Holding. The workers, who are members of the Independent Mine Workers Union (Ba\u011f\u0131ms\u0131z Maden-\u0130\u015f), traveled to Ankara from Elaz\u0131\u011f, where the Eti G\u00fcm\u00fc\u015f operation is located, and Eski\u015fehir, where Doruk Mining operates.<\/p>\n

The union had announced Sunday that the workers would gather outside the ministry at 11 a.m. on Monday, accusing the ministry of failing to act despite earlier assurances that it would intervene if outstanding payments were not made by the end of June.<\/p>\n

\u201cJuly is over, and we\u2019re in August. Miners are still not treated as human beings; their wages are not being paid,\u201d the union\u00a0said<\/a>\u00a0ahead of the protest.<\/p>\n

Ba\u011f\u0131ms\u0131z Maden-\u0130\u015f\u00a0said<\/a>\u00a0in a tweet shortly after the workers arrived that police had blocked them from reaching the ministry and detained members of the group.<\/p>\n

In another statement about half an hour later, the union said workers from both Eti G\u00fcm\u00fc\u015f and Doruk Mining remained in custody and that journalists had been removed from the area. The union described the police intervention as \u201ctorture.\u201d<\/p>\n

G\u00f6zalt\u0131nday\u0131z!<\/p>\n

Madenciye y\u00f6nelik i\u015fkence g\u00f6r\u00fcnt\u00fclenmesin diye bas\u0131n uzakla\u015ft\u0131r\u0131ld\u0131. Eti G\u00fcm\u00fc\u015f ve Doruk madencilik i\u015f\u00e7ileri olarak tutulmayan s\u00f6zlerin pe\u015finden Ankara’ya, sorumlu Enerji Bakanl\u0131\u011f\u0131 \u00f6n\u00fcnde g\u00f6zalt\u0131na al\u0131nd\u0131k.<\/p>\n

Y\u0131ld\u0131zlar SSS Holding, yurdun d\u00f6rt bir yan\u0131ndaki Nesko,\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/Sj4fuAMI72<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Ba\u011f\u0131ms\u0131z Maden \u0130\u015f (@bagimsizmadenis) August 10, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

According to Ba\u011f\u0131ms\u0131z Maden-\u0130\u015f, workers at the Eti G\u00fcm\u00fc\u015f operation in Elaz\u0131\u011f\u2019s Maden district are owed roughly eight months\u2019 wages, while Doruk Mining workers in Eski\u015fehir\u2019s Mihal\u0131\u00e7\u00e7\u0131k district have been protesting for months over unpaid wages, severance pay and other employment rights. The union says around 400 current and former workers at Doruk Mining and the Yunus Emre Thermal Power Plant have reported unpaid wages, severance claims, unpaid leave or other outstanding entitlements.<\/p>\n

The union is demanding payment of the workers\u2019 outstanding wages and benefits, compensation for former employees and an end to what it says is involuntary unpaid leave as well as safer working conditions, job security and the reinstatement of workers it says were dismissed over union activity.<\/p>\n

Doruk Mining workers staged a similar protest in April, marching from Mihal\u0131\u00e7\u00e7\u0131k to Ankara over unpaid wages, severance and other employment rights before launching a hunger strike. Police detained 110 miners when they sought a meeting with the energy ministry, and the protest ended later that month after the interior, energy and labor ministries intervened and an agreement was\u00a0reached<\/a>\u00a0with the employer.<\/p>\n

During the dispute Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar sharply criticized Doruk Mining, saying the company had made not paying its workers \u201ca habit.\u201d He also warned after the April agreement that the government could refuse to issue the company further mining licenses if the problems continued.<\/p>\n

This article is republished from\u00a0Turkish Minute<\/a>.<\/p>\n