Türk-İş President Ergün Atalay: "I know nothing will come of Mehmet Şimşek"

Holding a press conference at the Türk-İş Headquarters regarding the rally to be held at Tandoğan Square on Sunday, October 20, at 11:00 AM, Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-İş) President Ergün Atalay made important statements about the event.

Providing information about the rally, Atalay said, "We have invited our own members, retirees, minimum wage earners, and subcontracted workers. We have invited all labor components to Ankara on the 20th. According to the list provided to us by our union from outside Ankara, we have a list of nearly 2,000 buses. The gathering point will be in front of the Railways. From there, we will move to Tandoğan Square. At the rally, we will give the floor to our retirees, subcontracted workers, minimum wage earners, and fellow workers. We, as employees, will explain the difficulties we are in."

WE WILL KEEP THESE ISSUES ON THE COUNTRY'S AGENDA UNTIL THEY ARE RESOLVED

Stating, "We are at such a difficult point that a large segment of society, especially regarding taxes, is in trouble like us and struggling to make ends meet," Atalay recalled the protest they held in front of the Ministry of Treasury and Finance last week and spoke as follows:

"I don't know how much the Minister of Finance heard. In the coming days, we will understand whether he heard it or not. We have many problems, from unionization and layoffs to the wage imbalance of public workers, the pension accrual rate, informal employment, and workplace accidents. Our duty as a union is to explain these to the public. To find solutions with those who govern the country. There has been no response to us or other unions so far. We will strive to keep these difficulties and problems of ours on the country's agenda until these issues find a solution."

IT IS TOO EARLY TO TALK ABOUT THE MINIMUM WAGE

Stating that it is too early to talk about minimum wage negotiations, Atalay said, "Minimum wage negotiations will begin in the coming days. The minimum wage earner will receive their salary in February. There are four months left. When you start talking about the minimum wage four months in advance, landlords and markets continue to raise prices. Talking about this four months early is of no use to anyone. It only benefits price hikes. As in the past, all those on the minimum wage commission this term will be minimum wage earners themselves."

NOTHING WILL COME OF MEHMET ŞİMŞEK

Stating that they held a meeting regarding their demands with Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan, and that he did not meet with Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek because he "knew nothing would come of it," Atalay said, "I see his perspective on the world and the country. My interlocutor is the Minister of Labor."

THE MINIMUM WAGE HAS BECOME A SUBSISTENCE WAGE

"The minimum wage has become a subsistence wage in our country. The commission will start in December and determine the figures. A joint decision will be made. We will stand behind the decision we make. The determination commission and the high arbitration board are not fair," said Atalay, continuing his words: "There are constitutional debates in this country. If no one else needs a constitution, the worker, the unemployed, the woman, and the child need it. Can there be such a determination commission? 15 people, two of them sit together and make the decision they want. It is the same in this high arbitration board."