Extended Meeting of Presidents of the "Hizmet-İş" Union affiliated to Confederation of Public Workers "Hak-İş" was held in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Making a speech at the opening of the Extended Board of Presidents Meeting, Hak-İş and Hizmet-İş Union Chairman Mahmut Arslan drew attention to the problems experienced in the economy due to high inflation and the problems of municipal workers.
Noting that the TRNC has a great historical importance for Turkey and that Turkey's security passes through the TRNC, Arslan made the decision to hold the board of presidents in the TRNC to support Cyprus on the 452nd anniversary of the conquest of Nicosia and the 60th anniversary of the Erenköy resistance. said they received.
Arslan pointed out that there have been initiatives that have opened the existence of Turkey to discussion on the island lately,
"Those who open the existence of Turkey to discussion are the spokespersons of imperialism. Türkiye is on the island because of the guarantor, what is England here for? Those who do not question the existence of England question the existence of Turkey. These are not well-intentioned initiatives", Arslan said.
THE SHARE OF THE NATIONAL INCOME OF WAGERS IS DECREASING
Drawing attention to the problems experienced in the economy, Arslan stated that the highest inflation in the last 30 years was experienced in July.
"Inflation reduces the share of wage earners in national income and increases the share of capital. Inflation transfers income from the poor to the rich. July inflation took away the raise we received," Arslan added.
"WORKERS ARE HELPLESS"
Stating that millions of workers who receive minimum wage and salary close to it are even more helpless in the face of hikes, Arslan pointed out especially to the municipal workers who are fighting for their livelihood in Istanbul.
"More than 30 thousand of our 32 thousand members in Istanbul district municipalities work in municipal companies for minimum wage. Most of these workers work in a second job. Half of them are rented. More than 80 percent of homeowners live in inherited old houses, some in concierge apartments. We are making great efforts to include these workers in the Public Framework Protocol and increase their salaries", Arslan said.
Emphasizing that they carried out a survey to reveal the problems experienced by the municipal workers working in the district municipalities in Istanbul and that a very grave picture emerged, Arslan called on the mayors and asked them to listen to the cries of the municipal workers who are struggling to make a living with very low wages.