Soma miners protest failure in their salary payments

A group of miners who work in three separate mines owned by Soma Holding in the western district of Soma have held a sit-in protest claiming their salaries were not paid.

A total of 301 miners died in a tragic accident in a coal mine owned by Soma Holding in the same area on May 13. The three mines operated by the Soma Holding in the district have been closed down since the accident. Approximately 6,000 people are employed in these three mines. Some of these workers staged a protest in front of the governmental office in the district, holding placards and demanding their salaries be paid. Both company owners and senior government officials previously told the miners their salaries would be paid without cuts after the accident took place in Soma. However, the miners said they have not been paid any salaries since April.

An official from Soma Holding speaking on the terms of anonymity said the freeze in all of the company’s assets caused the delay in payment and said they will pay the salaries by June 20 at the latest.

On June 9, Soma’s 1st Criminal Court of First Instance ordered a freeze on all of Soma Holding’s properties, allowances and assets.

The court also demanded information about the company’s bank accounts and properties. The court also sent the decision of an injunction to the Energy Ministry, the Turkish Coal Institute (TKİ), all banks, police departments and land title offices.

The company’s chairman, Can Gürkan, and general manager, Ramazan Doğru, are still under arrest along with several other officials while the owner, Alp Gürkan, is being investigated on charges of fraud.