- The government must resign!- Officials must stop hiding the real number of deaths.- An independent investigation commission must be set up by workers.
- The government must resign!- Officials must stop hiding the real number of deaths.- An independent investigation commission must be set up by workers.
The Issue
The AKP government and the bosses are responsible for the coal miners deaths in Soma, Turkey.
In Turkey privately run coalmines regularly expose miners to hazardous and life threatening working conditions, and it is well documented that the death toll in private mines in Turkey are eleven times higher than those in state owned mines. Furthermore, the request made to the Turkish parliament on 29 April 2014 for an enquiry into the health and safety conditions at the Soma coalmine presented an opportunity to prevent the deaths of over 284 miners on 13 May 2014, however this was denied by the government and coal mines were deemed to be safe. It is clear that the lives of thousands of miners have been risked as part of cost saving measures, with tragic consequences for miners and their families.
Successive Turkish governments (right-wing governments as well as so-called “left-wing” ones) have sought to attract foreign investment in Turkey’s mines through privatization, deregulation and wage cutting. This was part of the Turkish bourgeoisie’s broader strategy of functioning as a cheap labour source. To make more and more profits, and taking the advantage of new Labour Law and related regulations, Turkey’s mining sector implemented “flexible work conditions,” including loosened safety procedures and lower standards for training new miners.
The Turkish government must bring to account those responsible for the brutal corporate murder of the Soma coalminers and ensure that steps such as are taken to improve health and safety in the mining sector with the aim of preventing such “accidents” in the future.
In short, this is not a workplace accident! This is a massacre for profit!
- The government must resign!
- Officials must stop hiding the real number of deaths.
- An independent investigation commission must be set up by workers.
- The de facto martial law must end in Soma!
- Owners and top managers of the company must be arrested!
- Soma mines must be nationalised under workers control!
- No more privatisation of mines! All mines must be re-nationalised under workers control!
The Issue
The AKP government and the bosses are responsible for the coal miners deaths in Soma, Turkey.
In Turkey privately run coalmines regularly expose miners to hazardous and life threatening working conditions, and it is well documented that the death toll in private mines in Turkey are eleven times higher than those in state owned mines. Furthermore, the request made to the Turkish parliament on 29 April 2014 for an enquiry into the health and safety conditions at the Soma coalmine presented an opportunity to prevent the deaths of over 284 miners on 13 May 2014, however this was denied by the government and coal mines were deemed to be safe. It is clear that the lives of thousands of miners have been risked as part of cost saving measures, with tragic consequences for miners and their families.
Successive Turkish governments (right-wing governments as well as so-called “left-wing” ones) have sought to attract foreign investment in Turkey’s mines through privatization, deregulation and wage cutting. This was part of the Turkish bourgeoisie’s broader strategy of functioning as a cheap labour source. To make more and more profits, and taking the advantage of new Labour Law and related regulations, Turkey’s mining sector implemented “flexible work conditions,” including loosened safety procedures and lower standards for training new miners.
The Turkish government must bring to account those responsible for the brutal corporate murder of the Soma coalminers and ensure that steps such as are taken to improve health and safety in the mining sector with the aim of preventing such “accidents” in the future.
In short, this is not a workplace accident! This is a massacre for profit!
- The government must resign!
- Officials must stop hiding the real number of deaths.
- An independent investigation commission must be set up by workers.
- The de facto martial law must end in Soma!
- Owners and top managers of the company must be arrested!
- Soma mines must be nationalised under workers control!
- No more privatisation of mines! All mines must be re-nationalised under workers control!
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Petition created on 15 May 2014