Workers constructing a nuclear power station in Turkey staged a riot after not being paid for three months. The Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Mersin southern Turkey is being built by the Russian state energy company Rosatom.
Both Turkish and Russian workers have been recruited to build the plant by the subcontractor TSM Enerji. However, TSM Enerji is struggling to pay off a debt of US$58million (£43million) to Turkey’s Social Security and State Insurance Fund (SGK). As a result, it is claimed construction workers at the plant have not had wages paid, provoking a furious backlash. Workers downed tools and marched towards the management building, chanting slogans and demanding payment.
Some blocked off roads and smashed cars, as they vented their fury at TSM Enerji. Turkish police used water cannons and tear gas to break up the demonstration, while protesters threw stones in retaliation.
The brutal suppression of the protest was condemned by the Revolutionary Construction and Road Workers’ Union. In a statement, they said: “At the Mersin Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant site, construction workers protesting poor working conditions and unpaid wages for the past three months were attacked by police with tear gas, batons, and water cannons while trying to march to company offices.
“While state institutions remain silent about wage theft by the employer, they respond with police and gendarmerie when workers demand their rights.
“We stand with the struggling and resisting construction workers. We will change this system of modern-day slavery.”
Families of Russian workers told the SOTA news website that problems began surfacing in May, when the number of staff at the construction site was slashed from 12,000 to 3,000.
Already in March, Turkish workers went on strike, demanding the payment of wage arrears.
However the Russians were too afraid to take part on that occasion, fearing they could be fired and lose their return tickets home.
