Wages are melting away while the government merely watches

Organised action will defeat the hostility towards labour: Wages are melting away while the government merely watches

United Metalworkers’ Union (Birleşik Metal-Iş) General President Özkan Atar reacted to the announced report, saying, “They are taking from the labourer and giving to capital,” while United Textile, Weaving and Leather Workers’ Union (BIRTEK-SEN) Organising Specialist Mazlum Ayçiçek said, “Capital feeds on what is taken from the working class.”

MISERY DROVE THE RETIREE OUT INTO THE SQUARES

Stating that the raise that needs to be made in July is vital for retirees, All Retirees’ Union (Tüm Emeklilerin Sendikası) President Zeynel Abidin Ergen stated that the finalised raise difference rate remained far below the demands and said: “In the face of the high cost of living, the pensions of retirees are already insufficient. It is said that a raise will not be made to the minimum wage either, because currently no work being done by the government is visible. The minimum-wage earner is scraping by on 28,000 TL in this period when the high cost of living and inflation have peaked. Not making a raise means that the wages of these labourers will drop not to 28,000 TL but below an average of 20,000 TL until the end of the year. This situation is very bad for the minimum-wage earner.” Emphasising that retirees will never give up on the streets, Ergen said, “Among our primary demands are the grading of the lowest retirement pension by equating it to the lowest civil servant salary, and a raise in July where retirees can breathe a sigh of relief even if just a little. Furthermore, a flat-rate raise is very important to us; we will continue to demand that on the street too.”

THE GOVERNMENT TAKES FROM THE LABOURER AND TRANSFERS TO CAPITAL

Saying that the economic policy of the regime is a system of “taking from the labourer and giving to capital”, Birleşik Metal-Iş General President Özkan Atar also commented on the inflation and tax losses. Atar used the following expressions: “Currently, the economic programme implemented by the AKP under the name of lowering inflation is a programme that serves to take from millions of labourers and transfer to capital, and to transfer the taxes they deduct from the labourer to the capital class, to domestic or foreign capital monopolies under the name of incentives.” Stating that high inflation, the high cost of living, and the decline in the purchasing power of labourers continue severely in the country, Atar said that the minimum wage must be reconsidered without losing time, speaking as follows:

“Along with the raise to be made to the minimum wage, it is imperative that the wages of all employees are also increased as of July. Wages need to be pulled to a level that will meet rent and compulsory expenses, first and foremost food expenditures. The hunger limit surpassed 35,000 Liras in May. The minimum wage must be increased, and a fair tax reform must be reconsidered in a way that all labourers can breathe a sigh of relief. On the other hand, a reform and legal regulation must be made at a level where trade union rights can be implemented, which can develop first and foremost the working class’s rights and freedoms of unionisation and collective bargaining.

With these demands, trade unions and first and foremost confederations, workers’ and public employees’ organisations, labour and pro-labour mass organisations, and political parties must absolutely come together to raise the struggle alongside a strong togetherness, a principled programme, and a strategy.”

A NEW LINK EVERY DAY TO THE ORDER OF SLAVERY

BIRTEK-SEN Organising Specialist Mazlum Ayçiçek also drew attention to the importance of the organised struggle in wage and rights demands, saying, “We need something other than just eavesdropping on the gossip. It is not just about trade unions taking part in determination commissions merely for show; before the minimum wage is announced, there is also a need for actions that will create pressure on the ruling power with the will and voice of the workers in the squares and on the streets.”

Saying that the bill of the economic crisis has been cut to the workers and labourers, Ayçiçek continued his speech as follows: “Capital, which adds wealth to its wealth with the incentives given by the ruling power and invests in other countries, usurps the severance payments of the workers. It expects workers to work longer hours, to consent to lower wages, and to accept progressively worsening living conditions. While the existing rights of the workers are usurped on grounds such as concordat and bankruptcy, the lack of inspection and the failure to take occupational health and safety measures cause workers to die or be left disabled every day. Capital and the ruling power raise the ante every day to establish the order of slavery they dream of for the workers, adding new ones to the rights usurpations and attacks.”

Underlining that in the face of all attacks targeting labour, it is necessary to unite around demands and grow the common struggle, Ayçiçek added, “The way to compensate for these losses passes through workers uniting around their own demands, organising in workplaces, and growing the common struggle.”

Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Emek düşmanlığını örgütlülük yenecek: Ücretler eriyor iktidar seyrediyor, published in BirGün newspaper on June 9, 2026.