03.06.2025 14:22
The tension between İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay and the 23,000 striking workers escalated with the 'payroll war.' Most recently, Tugay highlighted the reasons for the deductions in the document shared by the union, stating, "Enough is enough."
The strike, which was initiated after the collective bargaining process covering 23,000 employees in İZELMAN, İZENERJİ, and Egeşehir between İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and the Genel-İş Union became stalled, continues on its 6th day.
TRASH ACCUMULATES IN THE STREETS
Due to the strike, disruptions in transportation have occurred, and nearly all buses have stopped operating. The services of the Metropolitan Municipality have significantly come to a halt. One of the areas affected by the strike is the Municipal Cleaning Department. While trash has not been collected in some streets due to the workers being on strike, trash has accumulated in the Konak district.
PAYROLL DISPUTE BETWEEN CEMİL TUGAY AND WORKERS
İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay made a statement regarding the claim that municipal employees receive low salaries after the executives of the DİSK Genel-İş Union shared a payroll.
Tugay stated, "The executives of the DİSK Genel-İş Union shared a payroll yesterday and presented it as evidence that our employees receive low wages. If I do not explain the lie they told you, I would not be fulfilling my duty. I want to draw your attention to the lines marked with a green pen on the payroll; these are underpayments made for various reasons," he said.
"WORKED 20 DAYS AND SALARY DECREASED"
Tugay continued in his statement, "This employee; normally should work 26 days but has only worked 20 days, resulting in a salary decrease. They took unpaid leave, and 965.81 has been deducted from here. They used an advance, and 16,947 lira has been deducted from here. There was a deduction for food aid, and 2,947 TL and 42 kuruş have been deducted from here. You add these up and add them to the amount they announced as the normal salary, and you will see what the truth is. To those who have been lying to everyone for years, I say; enough is enough. Really, enough," he expressed.