Yıldızlar Holding and workers fail to reach agreement; workers to go to Ankara

In Elazığ, Turkey, a strike by 176 workers at Eti Gumus A.Ş., a Yıldızlar Holding subsidiary, has entered its seventh day over unpaid wages. Hopes for a resolution were raised when the company requested negotiations, leading a delegation of three worker representatives, the Mayor of Maden, and a lawyer to travel to Ankara.

However, after hours of talks, an agreement could not be reached. The primary sticking point was severance pay, for which no clear timeline was provided by the company. While the company agreed to pay outstanding wages on August 6, the unresolved issue of severance left the workers dissatisfied.

"They are not budging on severance pay at all," stated the workers' lawyer, Abdurrahim Demiryürek, to ANKA News Agency. He explained that the workers' demands included unpaid salaries since February 2025, severance for those wishing to leave, and social security contributions for periods of unpaid leave. The company's offer to pay wages on August 6, without a firm commitment on severance, was insufficient.

One worker, who retired in 2024 after starting in 2008, expressed deep distress, stating, "I retired in 2024. I haven't received any severance pay or 11 months of wages. We are destitute, our children are hungry, our families are ruined." The worker added that there was no guarantee, protocol, or written agreement regarding the wage payment. Consequently, the workers have decided to bring their protest to Ankara, with colleagues expected to arrive the following day to press their demands.