DİSK's reaction to AKP on inflation: The government is responsible for this bleak picture

Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) President Arzu Çerkezoğlu issued sharp criticisms regarding the Central Bank's September Survey of Market Participants and the government's inflation policies. 

Pointing out that inflation is making life difficult for workers and laborers, Çerkezoğlu stated that the government's price hike and wage policies are dragging millions of people into poverty.

''HIGH INFLATION IS IMPOVERISHING WORKERS''

Çerkezoğlu noted that Turkey has been struggling with high inflation for a long time and that this situation is dragging workers, laborers, and retirees into deep poverty. 

Stating that the government's inflation forecasts are misleading, Çerkezoğlu said, "The government is constantly revising its inflation forecasts, but they never align with the actual inflation. We are going through a process where even the official inflation announced by TUIK is above the forecasts," she said.

''INFLATION CANNOT BE REDUCED BY WAGES''

Describing the claim that wages are the cause of inflation as a "big lie," Çerkezoğlu emphasized that the real problem is dollarization and the excessive profits of companies. "Wages are never the cause of inflation. Wages are a very minor factor in inflation. The real causes of inflation are dollarization, supply problems, and the excessive profits of companies and banks. You cannot lower inflation by suppressing wages; instead, a permanent and production-based economic policy is needed," she said.

''MILLIONS FACE HUNGER'' 

Criticizing the government's minimum wage policy based on its 2025 inflation expectations, Çerkezoğlu stated, "Determining the minimum wage for 2025 based on an inflation expectation of 17-18 percent means that millions of workers will become even poorer. This policy must be changed immediately." 

Stating that inflation is not falling and that millions are facing hunger, Çerkezoğlu added, "Suppressing wages will neither lower inflation nor increase the purchasing power of employees." she said.

''THIS BLEAK PICTURE IS THE RESULT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES''

The DİSK President also drew attention to the income inequality in the country. Çerkezoğlu, "The share of the value produced by labor in Turkey has fallen to the lowest levels in the history of the Republic. This is the result of the class-based and political choices implemented by the AKP government for 22 years." she said. She further added, "In Turkey, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Unless this order changes, millions will continue to become impoverished."

Stating that the government must take steps to change this bleak picture, Çerkezoğlu said, "The value we all produce by working is more than enough to provide a humane life for 85 million people, provided that the priorities change."