Unions Protest Turk Telekom Protocol as Bill Advances in Parliament

Members of EL-SEN, KTAMS, KTOEÖS and Turk-Sen gathered in front of parliament, holding a strike and voicing opposition to the approval of the protocol.

Speaking to protesters, Turk-Sen President Arslan Bicakli accused the government of attempting to push the bill through despite lacking broad public support. He criticized the overnight parliamentary session and questioned the urgency of the process, arguing that there was no justification for rushing the legislation.

Bicakli also claimed that pressure had been exerted on staff, including members of parliament, to ensure the bill’s passage. He warned that continuing in this manner would seriously undermine industrial peace and called on lawmakers not to become part of what he described as an unacceptable process. He announced that union leaders would enter parliament to hold talks with officials.

Tel-Sen President Hakan Uredi also addressed the crowd, criticizing the government for failing to keep promises made during negotiations. He said the unions were not opposing Turk Telekom itself but were protesting the way the protocol was being advanced without fulfilling prior commitments.

Uredi stressed that the protest was being carried out in the name of the public interest and future generations, adding that if the country was to stand on its own feet, such decisions should be taken transparently and with consensus. He described the ongoing talks on the Fiber Optic Protocol as a legitimate struggle and accused the government of acting against the country’s interests.

Union representatives reiterated their call for the government to withdraw the bill and urged lawmakers to reject the protocol during the ongoing parliamentary debate.