Look at the boss! He brushed off and threatened the workers: "Tomorrow, I will kick everyone out of the door."

Workers working in the mines owned by Eti Krom Yıldırım A.Ş in Alacakaya district of Elazığ started a protest after giving the management a deadline to fulfill their demands for various rights. The protest of more than 300 workers has entered its 11th day. The workers, who demand improvement in working conditions and a raise in their wages, emphasized that they will continue their protest until their demands are met. While the workers received support from various platforms, Ali Rıza Yıldırım, the owner of Eti Krom Yıldırım A.Ş, met with the workers and listened to their demands.

"I WILL PUT EVERYONE IN FRONT OF THE DOOR"

After listening to the workers, Ali Rıza Yıldırım said, "The Eti Krom family consists of 1463 people. They are currently the minority. It's simple, termination of employment rights. We can replace all of them. Because the majority continues. These are the ones who don't continue, there has been organization. The head of the organization is the mayor. Who is the president of this company? Why is the mayor coming into my field and acting as a mentor and imam to you? Don't tell me history. You weren't here, I got this place from the state for zero. Tomorrow, I will put everyone in front of the door. This place will be closed," he said.

"YOU WILL SPEAK WHEN I GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO SPEAK"

When the worker said, "The job is your job," Yıldırım scolded the worker by saying, "Don't answer me. You will speak when I give you the right to speak. I can make this place zero, and I can lock the door tomorrow. This place used to be locked in the state. It wasn't making money, it wasn't losing money. I took over this place and brought it to this state. My Eti Krom is a small part of Yıldırım Holding. Our total weight is close to 1 million tons. Eti Krom is 15% of that. Even if it's not, it doesn't matter, but you won't be able to have a workplace as valuable as this one. The mayor gave you a gun and bullets. You're shooting yourselves in the head," he said.

"WE DON'T WANT ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF OUR RIGHTS"

The worker said, "We want our labor rights here. We want a raise in our bonuses and base salary. We want the promotional bonus from the bank. We don't want anything outside of our rights," he said.

PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN USED AS AN EXAMPLE

Yıldırım said, "I am a hundred percent right. There is an election in Turkey. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan becomes the president with 51%. You are not 51%. Why did the protest happen? Are you the only ones, there are others too. They don't want these, only you want them. When I give it to you, I will give it to everyone. If I don't give it to you, I won't give it to any of you. How are you doing an illegal protest? You don't start work without informing the general management. I demand a penalty of 3 days' wages for every day you didn't come to work. I have my rights too. I have a loss in production. This person's daily wage may be 500 lira or 1000 lira, but my loss is 10,000 lira. I am deducting wages with the reservation of my right to file a lawsuit. Because they left the workplace without informing. It is illegal according to the labor law. This is not the place for illegal protests. This is not a propaganda place or a political square. You are employees of a private company. If you want to protest, you come here with a majority of 51% and submit a petition first. You say, 'I won't work for 3 days and I want to protest.' It is a crime to protest without informing. There is a petition addressed to Eti Krom and Yıldırım Holding. The owner of the petition is the mayor of Alacakaya. First, let the mayor give these demands you want to his own workers, then he can come and ask from me," he said.

HE CAME TO SCOLD, NOT TO LISTEN TO DEMANDS

During the meeting, Yıldırım's statements such as "I didn't come here to listen to poems," "Tomorrow I will put everyone in front of the door," "Don't tell me history," "Don't answer me. You will speak when I give you the right to speak," "Recep Tayyip Erdoğan becomes the president with 51%. You are not 51%," "I demand a penalty of 3 days' wages" drew reactions.

WORKERS PUT ON UNPAID LEAVE

On the 11th day of the protest, the company announced that temporary suspension of production was implemented in the KEF region and the workers were put on unpaid leave. In the statement made by the company official, the following statements were included: "According to the decision taken by the Board of Directors, KEF Mine operation will be temporarily closed until a contrary decision is made for economic reasons, and the employees will be put on unpaid leave. The decisions taken, effective from July 9, 2024, cover all blue-collar employees working in Eti Krom AŞ, Yılkrom Mining and Energy Inv. Tic. San. AŞ, Eti Beton and Waste Recycling Ind. Tic. AŞ."