HAK-İŞ visit from Özgür Özel! 'A July raise for the minimum wage is a must'

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel visited the Confederation of Turkish Real Trade Unions (HAK-İŞ) as part of his meetings regarding the demand for an interim raise in the minimum wage.

Beginning his remarks there by saying, "We have begun these visits to both express our own views regarding the demand for an interim raise in the minimum wage and to learn the views of our worker and employer representatives," Özel continued as follows:

"Turkey is going through very difficult conditions. Despite the contradiction between labor and capital, the political polarization in Turkey, and unfortunately, the very tense environment, the language that confederations and worker and employer organizations have displayed despite their differing views is, in fact, a language that should serve as an example to politics. A difficult process like May 1st is continuing with the labor struggle rising, perhaps in different cities but by voicing common demands, and taking into account that conditions are much tougher than in previous years. As a social democratic party, our contribution is to stand behind labor and its demands as the main opposition party, and to be part of an integrated solution by also hearing the difficulties of employers, while also considering the places where we are in the position of employer in terms of local governments where workers are organized in all confederations."

"IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT PEOPLE ARE REMAINING BELOW THE HUNGER THRESHOLD"

What is the minimum wage? What does the constitution understand by the minimum wage, what does the law understand, and what should we understand? The minimum wage is the wage sufficient to meet the mandatory needs of workers—nutrition, housing, transportation, and health—at a minimum level. The matter starts here and ends here. The minimum wage provided today is below the hunger threshold. Furthermore, this worker has a family, a child. There is the welfare share necessary for a humane life. When you consider only nutrition, housing, heating, transportation, and health without taking any of these into account, it is very clear that this minimum wage is not even enough for that, and that people are remaining below the hunger threshold.

Our nation decides who will govern the country. There was an election in 2023. In this election, our nation heard the promises and voted accordingly. In fact, on May 14th, it said it could not make a decision according to the constitution and that it would decide after the candidates were reduced to two. It did not directly tell anyone to govern. Therefore, a promise was made during that competition process. Erdoğan also made many promises, including that he would abolish interviews in civil servant recruitment.

HE REMINDED ERDOĞAN OF HIS PROMISES

The biggest criticism from young people is, 'They said they would abolish interviews before the election, and now they are conducting interviews,' and this undoubtedly has a cost for Mr. Erdoğan and his party. But he said this to all the workers in Turkey: 'It is not right to raise the minimum wage only once in inflationary environments.' A July raise had already been given for two years. After that, he said, 'every three months, four times a year.' He said, 'It is necessary to adjust according to inflation until inflation falls to single digits.'

After Mr. Erdoğan said this, we saw inflation reaching 80 percent, TÜİK announced 65 percent, and since the election had passed, while a July interim raise had been given in the two years before the election when inflation was lower, let alone 4 raises, not even a July interim raise was given last year. It was said, 'You will get by' without a single penny of a raise. When it came to this year, something happened that made it unbearable: 'We will give the raise not according to real inflation, but according to expected inflation.' Real inflation is the money swallowed by the inflation monster. Expectation is what you say but fail to achieve. Why does the worker pay the price for this? If this price is to be borne, why does the worker pay it?

They determined a salary of 22 thousand liras that no one can get by on, and in the last four months, inflation of 14 percent according to TÜİK and 25 percent according to ENAG—which is much higher—swallowed up the 5 thousand lira raise when we entered January 2025.

We are currently talking about a minimum wage that is 4 thousand liras below the hunger threshold. Imagine the situation if no raise is made in July. The minimum wage is the wage that one in every two people receives in Turkey. 55 percent are either on minimum wage or a wage close to the minimum wage. According to some assessments, the minimum wage has become the average wage.

This issue is not just the subject of unions or the social democratic party. It is the subject of all politics. The person whose door you knock on and whose vote you ask for trusts the political institution and gives authority to one of us. With what face will we go to them after this? Before the election, it was said, 'We will give 4 raises,' and after the election, 1 raise was given. The 2023 elections were held, no July raise was given. It was given in January 2024 and 2025. If it is not given now, will we spend the three years after the election with only 2 raises? This is not something that can be accepted.

CALL FOR THE MINIMUM WAGE COMMISSION TO CONVENE

Therefore, we expect the Minimum Wage Commission to convene immediately, and for this matter to be resolved in a way that includes all confederations, takes common demands into account, and addresses the legitimate concerns of the employer. There is no such thing as 'We will create the crisis, and the laborers will pay the price.' We are not thinking of just placing a burden on the back of the laborer.

News Source: 12punto