Turkish miners nearing agreement on unpaid wages after protests and detentions

Miners affiliated with the Independent Mining Workers' Union (Bağımsız Maden-İş) have been protesting outside the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources in Ankara, demanding the payment of their outstanding wages. The demonstration, involving miners and their families, has brought them close to a resolution with Yıldızlar SSS Holding, according to the union's lawyer.

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We are very close to victory. The vast majority of the main points have been finalized. However, the final answer will not be determined today.

Mürsel Ünder, the union's lawyer, announced that negotiations held overnight between Yıldızlar SSS Holding officials and the union delegation have neared completion. "We are very close to victory. The vast majority of the main points have been finalized. However, the final answer will not be determined today," Ünder stated. He indicated that while the agenda included conveying demands to the presidency, the protest strategy was altered following the detention of union leaders.

Ünder reported that union leaders Gökay Çakır and Başaran Aksu, along with two miners, were detained. He believes these detentions are directly linked to the ongoing miners' resistance and the critical stage of the process, despite social media posts being cited as the official reason. Çakır's statement will be taken in Soma, while Aksu's will be taken in Ankara, after which prosecution processes will commence.

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We are leaving here and heading to the courthouse to support Başaran and Gökay. We will wait there for the statement processes to be completed and offer our support and solidarity. We invite all of Turkey's public and press workers to the Ankara Courthouse for the release of our friends.

"We are leaving here and heading to the courthouse to support Başaran and Gökay," Ünder told supporters, inviting the public and press to join them at the Ankara Courthouse to show solidarity and demand the release of the detained individuals. He expressed confidence that positive news regarding the miners' demands would likely be announced soon, possibly by the following day, stating, "We believe the process will not be completed by today, but we are very close to victory."

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We believe the process will not be completed by today, but we are very close to victory.