Reactions continue over TURKSTAT's inflation data

The Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT) has announced the inflation rates for June. Accordingly, a 15.58 percent raise will be reflected in the salaries of civil servants and retired civil servants. The announced data directly affects the salaries of millions of people.

HARSH REACTION FROM HÜR-SEN

Levent Kuruoğlu, Chairman of the Confederation of Independent Unions (HÜR-SEN), criticized the government and authorized unions with harsh words while evaluating the inflation figures. Kuruoğlu stated, "It is high time we shake ourselves off and come to our senses, and set things straight for both the government and backyard unionism."

Kuruoğlu included the following statements in his announcement:

"Unfortunately, we experience the same scenario every salary adjustment period. This July was no different. ENAG announced June inflation at 3.05 percent and annual inflation at 68.68 percent. TURKSTAT's monthly inflation was 1.37 percent, and annual inflation was 35.05 percent. It is like déjà vu!

Since TURKSTAT inflation is taken into account, the inflation difference became 10.07 percent; when the 5 percent Collective Bargaining raise is added, the total increase became 15.57 percent.

The Collective Bargaining process will begin in August. If you ask any civil servant or retiree, there is no hope in sight. God willing, we will all see it together. Even the minimum requirements of unionism will not be met. The authorized union and its sidekick will sit at the table with the same rhetoric and methods, and in the end, they will shed crocodile tears.

While their union reputation has dropped almost to zero, these unions, whose member numbers are increasing, will not even take steps that would make civil servants and retirees say 'this is it!' Why? Because unfortunately, there is no one left to question them or expect success and a principled stance. In other words, it is a deliberate trap!

Undoubtedly, the government has no concern for relieving low-income civil servants and retirees or compensating for their losses over the years. While the people's problems have reached massive proportions, in our country, which focuses on a new artificial agenda every day, even mentioning scarcity and poverty has become impossible.

Türk-İş's June hunger and poverty line announcement has reached hair-raising levels: The hunger threshold has become 26,115 TL, and the poverty threshold has become 85,066 TL. With this being the case, instead of demanding their share of the pie, the masses have entered into a debate of 'this person's salary is too high, that person's salary is too low.' However, the essential thing is to demand our share of the pie.

The only will to do this lies within ourselves. The government, which has made 2 million civil servants members of its backyard unions, is very comfortable. The squares are empty, and reactions are naturally weak. This cannot continue, and it must not. It is high time we shake ourselves off and come to our senses; and set things straight for both the government and backyard unionism."