Protest from KESK: We do not accept misery

The Confederation of Public Employees' Unions (KESK) İzmir Branches Platform held a press statement in front of the YKM in Konak regarding the salary increases for civil servants. At the site of the statement, a banner reading, "We do not accept misery. We want a salary sufficient for a humane life," was carried, while slogans such as "We will not surrender to misery," "Budget for the laborer, not for war," and "We want a humane life" were frequently chanted.

Bülent Karakaş, the Term Spokesperson for the KESK İzmir Branches Platform, delivered the press statement at the protest, which was attended by numerous public employees.

"THIS 'GOOD NEWS' IS NOTHING BUT A HUGE LIE"

Stating that the government has increased its inflation target 2.5 times in stages since the beginning of the year and mocked everyone by saying at the end of the year, "We remained 0.23 points below this target," Karakaş noted that they entered 2024 with a rain of price hikes on basic necessities. Karakaş spoke as follows:

"Under these conditions, the fact that our salaries will increase by a total of 49.25 percent as of January 2024, with the six-month inflation difference (29.78 percent) plus the collective bargaining increase (15 percent), is presented as great news. However, this 'good news' is nothing but a huge lie. Because an increase in wages at the rate of inflation means zero raise anywhere in the world."

"HALF OF THE SALARY THAT ENTERS OUR POCKETS WILL NOT BE REFLECTED IN OUR RETIREMENT PENSIONS"

Stating that the real cost of living is shown as half as low with "artificial TUIK figures," Karakaş said this is continuing to steal from the pensioner's pocket and continued:

"Indeed, the salaries we receive today and the payrolls in our hands prove this robbery system that has been maintained for years. Accordingly: The lowest public employee salary for someone with a non-working spouse and 2 children has remained at 32 thousand 835 TL, including spouse and child allowance, while the average public employee salary has remained at 35 thousand TL, again including spouse and child allowance. Moreover, with the 'new salary regime' switched to in July 2023, 12 thousand TL of these amounts are 'additional flat payments' and an average of 5 thousand TL are amounts that will not be reflected in the base salary under the name of 'additional payment.' In short, half of the salary that enters our pockets will not be reflected in our retirement pensions."

Saying, "We do not want to be equalized in poverty and misery, we want to unite in the prosperity we deserve," Karakaş listed their demands as follows:

• First of all, we want the additional flat payment, which is currently given as a gross 12 thousand 147 TL for all public employees, to be included in the base salary coefficient.
• Then, we want the lowest public employee salary to be raised above the poverty line with aid items such as spouse, child, rent, and transportation allowances.
• Regulations must be urgently implemented to provide the share of welfare we are entitled to from economic growth.
• We want the lowest retirement pension to be increased to a net 18 thousand 700 TL.
• The tax rate applied to wage income should be fixed at 10 percent, and indirect taxes applied to basic consumer goods should be abolished.
• Employees' transportation costs should be covered, and lunches should be provided free of charge.
• Legal regulations must be made to provide a cost-of-living allowance to all public employees.
• Following the statement, the public employees protested the situation by burning their salary slips.

PROTEST IN ISTANBUL

The KESK Istanbul Branches Platform held a press statement in front of the Cevahir Shopping Mall (AVM) in Şişli. In the statement, where a banner reading "Numbers are lies, poverty is real" was carried, placards reading "We are becoming impoverished with TUIK data" and "We want a single-item salary above the poverty line" were held.

In the statement, which was attended by many KESK members, slogans such as "Government, take your raise and shove it," "We will win by uniting," "We will not surrender to misery," and "Budget for the laborer, not for capital" were chanted.

"LET US STAND SHOULDER TO SHOULDER FOR A SECURE FUTURE"

Speaking at the statement, Fadime Kavak Sevim, the Term Spokesperson for the KESK Istanbul Branches Platform, stated the following:

"According to the data of the Inflation Research Group (ENAG), which consists of independent economists, the 2021 inflation was announced as 83 percent. The rate announced by TUIK, however, remained at 36 percent, which is less than half of that. Again, in 2022, under conditions where the storm of price hikes never ceased, TUIK's annual inflation had exceeded 85 percent as of October. Although the rain of price hikes continued, TUIK announced the annual inflation in December as 64 percent. However, according to ENAG data, the 2022 inflation was 137 percent, exactly 73 points above the TUIK data."

Saying that it is necessary to put a "stop" to the misery that increases every day, Sevim made a call: "Let us stand shoulder to shoulder for a salary that will allow us to live humanely, secure employment, and a secure future against this system of poverty and misery that has made us all lose for years." (MA)

News Source: 12punto