Police detain union members in protest against labor accidents

ANKARA

The group shouted slogans calling shouting slogans calling Labor Minister Çelik 'the worker killer.' DHA Photo

Members of a labor union were detained after protesting against fatal labor accidents in front of the Labor and Social Security Ministry on Nov. 5.

The 17 protesters said the ministry was responsible for the May coal mine disaster that led to the deaths of 301 miners in Soma in Manisa province, as well as the recent accident in Ermenek in the Karaman province, where 18 miners have been trapped in a flooded coal mine since Oct. 28.

The group, all members of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK), shouted slogans calling on Labor and Social Security Minister Faruk Çelik to resign. They also hung a placard on the ministry wall with the words “We don’t want to die while working,” shouting slogans calling Çelik “the worker killer.”

After making a press statement, the group put another placard on one of the ministry doors saying “The Labor Ministry, which didn’t provide safety to the workers, has been sealed by the workers,” and said they would not let anyone enter the ministry until an official came to talk to them. The police then intervened and all 17 were taken into custody.