09.07.2024 13:30
The words of Ergün Atalay, the President of Türk-İş, made a strong impact at the press conference where the joint manifesto of the three confederations was announced. Atalay openly threatened the government, saying "Those who govern the country should come to their senses." The atmosphere became even more tense when a journalist asked him, "What will happen if they don't listen?" Atalay responded to the question by saying, "Let's see what lies ahead, and then we will decide what to do."
The Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions of Turkey (DİSK), the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TÜRK-İŞ), and the Confederation of Hak Workers' Unions (HAK-İŞ) held a joint press conference today at the TÜRK-İŞ Headquarters.
TÜRK-İŞ PRESIDENT ATALAY'S REMARKABLE WORDS
The meeting was attended by DİSK General President Arzu Çerkezoğlu, TÜRK-İŞ General President Ergün Atalay, and HAK-İŞ General President Mahmut Arslan. Speaking at the meeting, TÜRK-İŞ President Ergün Atalay stated that there is an imbalance in wages in the public sector and that retirees and minimum wage earners are experiencing difficulties, saying "We cannot survive with 10,000 TL. The situation is clear."
"THEY THINK WE ARE SLAVES"
Atalay stated that the profits in the private sector are shared, saying "They think of us, the workers, as slaves. There is no chance for the economy to improve through us. They should keep their hands off us."
"WE ARE NOT THE CAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS"
Atalay said, "Those who govern the country must respond positively to our demands. We cannot afford to pay the price and suffer the consequences of this economic crisis. The unemployed, retirees, minimum wage earners, and workers are not the cause of this economic crisis."
OPEN THREAT TO THE GOVERNMENT
In his speech, Atalay intensified his statements and used the expression "They should come to their senses" towards the government. Atalay said, "Ministers come and go for years, and bureaucrats, except for some who do their job, see themselves as stations and the ministers as trains. Then they get on this train and send them all away. Therefore, those who govern the country should come to their senses. They should respond reasonably to our rightful demands."
QUESTION FROM A JOURNALIST: "WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THEY DON'T ACCEPT?"
Responding to a journalist's question "What will happen if they don't accept?", Atalay said, "Our colleagues are working on this process, they are conducting joint work in regions and districts, we can sit down and discuss it. Let's see what lies ahead, then we will decide what to do."
"WE DO NOT FIND TÜİK'S ANNOUNCED FIGURES REALISTIC"
TÜRK-İŞ President Ergün Atalay said the following in his statements; "We do not find the figures announced by TÜİK realistic. We have no strength left to endure. In the past, wages in the public sector were high, and they were receiving a normal wage. Now the public sector has reached its lowest point. But unfortunately, the bosses in the private sector, their earnings and profits are evident. Nevertheless, they consider 10-15-20 thousand liras for a worker who has been working for 10 or 20 years as too much. They think of us as slaves. We must do everything that is necessary regarding this issue.
The three of us have an obligation to come together frequently on worker and laborer issues. Now there has been an election in the country, and the society has expressed its opinion, it will express it again in a year. The Turkish society is an intelligent society, it knows well where to do what. There is no point in burdening the worker, the narrow and fixed income earner with this issue. Tighten the belt, increase interest rates, raise taxes, think about how to tax tips. If you gave this authority to the former Minister of Finance, he would do the same. They should keep their hands off us. 17,000 liras has nothing to do with fixing the economy. Where there is an economic crisis, there is no peace."