Tekel

Tekel A.Ş. (Turkish, literally single-hand or monopoly and generally capitalised as TEKEL) was a Turkish tobacco and alcoholic beverages company. It was nationalised in 1925 from a parastatal (government owned/controlled) company, the Régie. A joint foreign and Ottoman consortium, the Régie was short for "La Société de la régie co-intéressée des tabacs de l'Empire Ottoman".

Tekel evolved into the sole manufacturer and distributor of all alcohol and tobacco products in Turkey. Later on, Tekel was no longer a monopoly; however it had controlled taxing and distribution of all alcohol and tobacco products in Turkey until the end. The taxation department was handed over to the Turkish Revenue Administration after privatisation.

In 2008, it was sold to British American Tobacco and discontinued as a trademark in cigarettes, wines, liquors or other products, although some of its brand names are still used without the word "Tekel" preceding them; like the Buzbağ wine.

History

Foundation and early history

Turkish tobacco was an important industrial crop, where its cultivation and manufacture were monopolies under capitulations of the Ottoman Empire

2009–10 industrial action

In December 2009, following the privatisation, the Turkish government announced that 12 Tekel factories would close with the 10,000 workers redeployed in other public sector jobs on 11-month temporary contracts (4/C status) with pay-cuts up to 40% and reduced employment rights. This sparked industrial action, which began on 15 December, by the workers, who claimed the changes would cut their monthly wage and leave them without any severance pay. An estimated 12,000 workers from across the country set up camp in a Central Park in Ankara where they were forced off with teargas and pepper spray fired by riot police. They subsequently reestablished their camp in front of the head office of Turkey's main trade union organisation, Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-İş). The protestors have engaged in public demonstrations outside the headquarters of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and several protestors have been admitted to hospital after refusing food and water.<[8]<[9]<[10]

Media images of the protests have provoked angry rows in the Turkish parliament and analysts believe the situation has inflicted political damage on a government heavily reliant on conservative working-class support but Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the government would not "dole out money to workers for not producing anything" and challenged the protestors, who he claims are being influenced by "ideological groups and extremists" who had turned it into an "anti-government campaign," to start their own businesses and ordered Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek and Labour Minister Hayati Yazıcı to find a formula to resolve the dispute.

On 4 February 2010, tens of thousands of Turkish workers took part in a one-day general strike organised by Türk-İş in support of the protest. Public services, including transport, were disrupted across the country and the largest demonstrations were reported in Ankara (20,000 demonstrators) and İzmir (15,000 demonstrators).<re[11]<re[12]

type	Subsidiary
fate	Acquired by British American Tobacco in 2008, becoming a brand; factories closed in 2009
foundation	1862
defunct	2008
location city	Istanbul
location country	Turkey
industry	Tobacco
products	Cigarettes
revenue	$3.6 billion USD (2004)
net income	$2.4 billion USD (2004)
num employees	10,000
parent	British American Tobacco

History

Foundation and early history

Privatisation

2009–10 industrial action

See also

External links

References