Turkey's operating environment, perceived problems with regulation, and competition with major players such as Philip Morris and Japan Tobacco International, already active in the Turkish market, were thought by analysts to have lowered the bids.

[7][8] 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.

[1][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.