Miner Node: Hunger strike postponed, eyes on the ministry.

Protests continue by 500 miners who locked themselves in the Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant located in the Nallıhan district of Ankara, reacting against its privatization. The actions, which gained public attention with the participation of power plant workers after the miners, experienced a critical day yesterday.

REPRESENTATIVES MET WITH THE MINISTER

Union representatives, who previously stated, "The ministry will be consulted on Monday, and if no results are achieved, a hunger strike will begin on Tuesday," held a meeting with the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar.

Regarding the two-hour meeting, Nurettin Akçul, the General President of the Turkish Mining Union, told Mustafa Çakır from Cumhuriyet that they explained the problem to the minister as it is. Akçul said, "We conveyed the drawbacks of privatization, that it does not benefit the region, that these workplaces are profitable, and that we have the perception that this tender will be a 'direct delivery tender.' We asked, 'Is it the interest of the region or the interest of one person?' The minister stated that he would bring the issue to the Cabinet. He also mentioned that he would discuss it with the Privatization Administration and the Ministry of Finance. He will also meet with the President. He will convey the demands. After that, he will get back to us," he said.

HUNGER STRIKE MAY BE POSTPONED

Akçul stated, "We may postpone the hunger strike for a day or two. We are waiting for a response from the minister. We think there will be a response tomorrow," he said. Emphasizing that they are firmly against privatization, Akçul said, "We want a complete abandonment of this privatization."