TEKEL workers of the factory in Cevizli, Istanbul, made a referendum on January 6 and decided with 99.9% of the votes to continue with the strike. The workers said "Our ideology consists of work, bread and freedom" giving an answer to the prime minister who had named their resistance as an "ideological action". {divide}
The TEKEL workers announced their decision to organise a huge rally on January 14 in Ankara. After this rally, the workers will go on a 3-days lasting hunger strike, and if their demands are still rejected to be accepted, a death fast is planned. The workers expect all workers and labourers, workers' unions, political parties and mass organisations to be present at the rally in Ankara to show solidarity with them. Turk-Is General Secretary Mustafa Turkel said in a statement that 3,000 labour organisations from all over the world would come to Ankara for solidarity. He said: "Those coming to Ankara won't leave Ankara, you could only make us leave in ambulances. We are ready to die. We won't leave without getting our rights". During his statement the workers were shouting the slogans "We will sell the ones who sold us" and "If there's no work and bread, there won't be peace".