EKS on the Türk Telekom Strike

From the ICC (the second two articles are new in English):

"We are publishing below a series of four articles translated from the Turkish by the comrades of Enternasyonalist Komünist Sol, all dealing with the recent strike at Türk Telekom. Readers will remember that we have already published an article on this subject (the second in this series), entitled "Victory at Türk Telekom" which covered the end of the 44-day strike by 26,000 workers, which ended with a 10% wage increase. We are now able to publish the complete series of the articles published on the subject by EKS: the first was written at the beginning of the strike and analysed briefly the forces in the conflict, while the second covered the end of the strike which it considered as a victory for the workers.

The two articles that followed were published as part of a debate within EKS as to the real nature of the end of the strike: comrade Temel argues that whatever the appearances the strike was in reality a defeat, while comrade Devrim's reply returns to the original analysis of the strike and to comrade Temel's criticisms to conclude that whatever its weaknesses, the strike was on the contrary a victory in both economic and in political terms.

..."

en.internationalism.org

Devrim

Forum: 

Hi Devrim. Thanks! I read

Hi Devrim. Thanks!

I read the discussion with great interest. From what I understood, personally, I tend to agree with your latest analysis. The ultimate point is to increase class consciousness among workers and, within strong constraints, maybe a baby-step in this direction has been made.

A related question is that of building an organization of vanguards, with the involvement of the most active workers, to preserve the experience acquired in this struggle and to prepare the next ones better. This is an important goal which has to be made explicit, in my opinion. Your role - potentially - is fundamental for the perspectives of the Turkish working class.

Btw, also at this regard, have you noticed our [[ibrp.org | reports from Pomigliano]]? Though being a quite different context, it showed some difficulties, dubts etc. similar to yours.

Mic

EKS on Telecom strike

Cleishbotham

IBRP

The discussion is interesting but I have no clear idea what role if any the EKS managed to play in the strike. If the EKS was not in a position to intervene (and this would be entirely understandable) the debate between Devrim and Temel is only one of emphasis since Temel's final paragraph says we have to support the strike even if he is more critical of its outcome. It would be interesting to compare their experience with the experience of our comrades at Pomigliano.

“but I have no clear idea

but I have no clear idea what role if any the EKS managed to play in the strike

None of us work there. All of our members spent time on picket lines discussing with workers, and distributing leaflets, and selling our press.

Devrim

Perspectives?

Cleishbotham

IBRP

For this work of intervention in the strike did the EKS manage to make any continuing contacts amongst the workers? If yes then the strike was definitely not a defeat, as our real gains are in consciousness and organisation (as we all, I think, agree). The question is then posed about how we maintain and develop these sparks of consciousness into the next phase, these for us are the key organisational issues. This was the theme of the "thoughts" our Napoli comrades had about the struggle at Pomigliano. Have you comrades of the EKS been able to read them (they are in English on this site)? It would be interesting to hear your views.

Internationalist greetings

C

  • Hy Dev,

what your point of*

Hy Dev,

what your point of view about the bomb attack in Instanbul. Do You think are they conncected in some ways to the recent scandal named " Ergekon" ( or something similar ) involving secret services by the others??

bye

A lot of the media are blaming the PKK, obviously. The PKK themselves have denied it, and have blamed the 'Ergenekon conspiracy'. Reallt, it is impossible to know who did it. It could really be anyone today. Ergenekon, the Government, another state faction, Islamicists, Kurds, leftists...

Here is an article about Ergenekon from the last GN. There will obviously be stuff about the bombings in this months paper dated 04/08/08.

"Dawn raids in Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya and Trabzon this week resulted in a further twenty one arrests were made of people involved in the ‘Ergenekon plot’ including two retired generals. The Police are now claiming that they had planned to organise a movement starting this Monday, 6th July, with mass demonstrations, leading to assassinations, and bombings, and ending in the military stepping into to restore order in a coup.

It is difficult in a country such as this to know which of the allegations are true, and which are lies. That members of the armed forces plan coups is undeniable. In the last forty eight years it has happened four times. That there are right wing nationalist gangs made up of senior military or state figures is also undeniable. The sort of revelations that have emerged in events from Susurluk to today are probably only the tip of the iceberg.

It doesn’t matter whether those arrested are guilty or not. What is certain is that they are certainly pawns in the game of high politics being played out at the moment. It would be absurd to believe that these arrests have no connection whatsoever to the current court case to close the AKP. For all the talk in the bourgeois press about how there were “At last some big fishes!”, it is clear that these arrest are political acts, and that the police is being used as a tool of the government against the ‘secularist’ faction in the state.

What is unclear at the moment, and like so much in these dirty affairs may never be, is whether Eruygur and Tolon were thrown to the wolves by Ilker Basbug. Of course, one would imagine, to use ‘Radikal’s’ image, that there are even bigger fish to fry. One would imagine that anybody organizing a coup would have actual serving generals involved, not just retired ones. After all, they are usually the people who organize coups. And also considering the amount of people who have now been arrested, it is surprising that no police officers have been involved.

At the moment it seems that by the middle of next month, the governing AKP will be banned probably leading to new general elections. It seems that what we are now witnessing is the AKP desperate last throw of the dice. Of course amongst all of this both factions, ‘Secularists’ and ‘Islamicists’ alike, will try to mobilize the working class in their support.

The AKP will talk about ‘democracy’. They will talk about how they were elected with a increased majority, indeed the biggest one in modern Turkish history. They will use lots of words like ‘freedom’, and ‘human rights’, and the ‘will of the people’ as they try to paint their opponents as those opposed to what the majority of people in this country want.

Of course this appeals to some workers. Memories of the terror after the 1980 coup are still strong.

The ‘secularists’ will talk about the ‘Islamicist’ threat. They will talk about how certain people want to turn Turkey into Iran, and impose Sharia. They will use lots of words like ‘defending secularism’, and the ‘principles of Kemalism’ as they try to paint their opponents as a sort of Turkish version of Ayatollah Khomeini.

Of course this appeals to some workers. Memories of the terror after the 1980 coup are still strong.

What workers have to ask themselves is what the real differences between these different factions are, and whether there will be any differences in the living conditions and wages of the working class. Will the SSK reforms be stopped? Will workers stop dying in Tuzla? Will real wages rise faster than inflation? In short can either of the two factions do anything to address the daily concerns of the workers in Turkey?

For us it is clear what the answer to this question is."

Devrim

Hi Devrim, thanks! It's a good piece... A proletarian and communist voice in Turkey is strongly needed!

Btw, are you still updating your website? Keep us informed about your publications.

I don't know if you had a look at this article (automatic translation, sorry!)...

[[translate.google.com]]

It would be interesting to hear your opinion, and if there are updates.

Turkey's ruling party escapes ban

> Turkey's Constitutional Court has decided not to ban the ruling AK Party, accused of undermining the country's secular system. But the judges did cut half the AKP's treasury funding for this year.

> -- [[news.bbc.co.uk]]

Hi Mic, I read your piece (it is difficult through the translation machine). Apart form a few minor details, I think that you got it right. I would have done more about the class struggle, and maybe more about the conflicts within the state. Perhaps does things are easier to do on the ground when you can read the language though.

Devrim

You're absolutely right, Devrim. It's quite difficult to get (good) news and information about internal politics and above all about class struggles.

I'm hearing from the radio about other attacks in Istambul just now...

Yes, maybe we should make an effort to translate more things. There was a general strike a few months ago for example.

As for this bomb in Üsküdar in İstanbul, I will wait until I see firmer confirmation than what the news is saying at the moment.

There was an explosion at a religious girls school that killed seventeen kids the other week, but after the TV news said it was a bomb, it turned out to be a gas leak.

Devrim