Özgür Özel visits Türk-İş: 'Their decision not to attend the commission is highly significant'
CHP Chairman Özgür Özel visited the Türk-İş trade union following the announcement of the minimum wage figure. Making a joint statement with Türk-İş President Ergün Atalay, Özel said, "They were invited to a meeting in a rush. I find their decision not to attend extremely important. I want to clearly state that the 30 percent raise given to the minimum wage is a starvation wage and that we reject it."
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The 2025 minimum wage, which has been awaited with curiosity for weeks, was announced as 22 thousand 104 TL. The fact that the figure remained far below expectations caused reactions. The opposition became one of the addresses for these reactions, especially from the millions working for minimum wage. Following the announced decision, the CHP held a closed meeting to discuss the issue. CHP leader Özgür Özel then paid a visit to the Türk-İş trade union.
Evaluating Türk-İş's decision not to attend the final meeting of the commission and the statements made by union president Ergün Atalay today, "We will not be in the commission from now on," Özel said, "Türk-İş is a confederation of unionized workers. We have followed the process closely. It is quite important that Türk-İş made a demand close to our minimum wage demand during this period," he stated.
Emphasizing the high number of people working for minimum wage, Özel said, "56 percent of wage earners in Turkey receive the minimum wage. 85 percent are directly affected by the rate of increase in the minimum wage."
Özel said the following:
"There is a fact accepted all over the world. In countries where income distribution is poor, classical approaches do not yield results. When you suppress the minimum wage while income distribution is this poor in Turkey, inflation does not fall. A minimum wage earner spends a significant portion of the money they receive on rent. The wage they receive runs out before they can cover their expenses with the remainder. We are facing such a dilemma. I do not accept TÜİK's inflation calculation while the minimum wage is being discussed. TÜİK inflation does not match the inflation of the minimum wage earner.
56 percent of wage earners in Turkey receive the minimum wage. 85 percent are directly affected by the rate of increase in the minimum wage.
Actually, Türk-İş is a confederation of unionized workers. We have followed the process closely. It is quite important that Türk-İş made a demand close to our minimum wage demand during this period.
They invited them to a meeting in a rush. I find their decision not to attend extremely important. I want to clearly state that the 30 percent raise given to the minimum wage is a starvation wage and that we reject it."
'CALL FOR A RALLY'
At the end of his remarks, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel called for a rally to be held at Ankara's Tandoğan Square on Saturday to protest the minimum wage figure announced.
Özel continued his words as follows:
"It is not possible for us to approach this issue with tolerance. We will be at the rally to be held in Tandoğan on Saturday. In accordance with the decision we took at the Central Executive Board (MYK) meeting, we will be in the field from now on. One cannot make a living with this minimum wage; if there is no livelihood, there will be an election. We will fight for the establishment of a government in Turkey that is in favor of labor and the laborer. I invite everyone to attend the rally to be held on Saturday."