Making evaluations on the subject, Chairman of the Retirement Association of Turkey Kazım Ergün said, “The lowest pension in 2002 was 252 Turkish Liras (TL). At that time, the minimum wage was around 184 TL. In other words, retirees had a figure above the minimum wage. In today's table, the lowest pension was 3,500 TL and the minimum wage was 5,500 TL. We lost half of the minimum wage.”
The figures in our country, where the lowest pension is 3,500 TL, corresponds to almost half of the hunger limit of 7,245 TL announced by Türk-İş Confederation.
ERDOĞAN SAID “COMPENSATION”, MEMUR-SEN CONFEDERATION CALLS FOR A RISE
Memur-Sen Confederation called for additional improvements for civil servants after the new minimum wage was determined recently. In the statement of Memur-Sen, called for a raise, using the words “Additional improvements should be made for our public servants in January 2023, and a result that compensates for the losses should emerge,” the statement said.
WEALTH SHARE WILL IT BE REGULATED?
While it remains unclear whether there will be a welfare share regulation above the rates agreed with the collective agreement, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had recently announced that they would take steps to compensate for the welfare losses at the beginning of the year. After the announcement, there was an expectation among civil servants and retirees who had a great decrease in purchasing power.
EXPECTATION WITH INFLATION 18-19 PERCENT
While the inflation figure is critical for civil servants, Social Security Institution (SSK) and Social Security Organization for Artisans and the Self-Employed (Bağ-Kur) retirees at the rate of increase, civil servants and civil servant retirees are entitled to receive inflation difference according to this figure. SSK and Bağ-Kur retirees will receive a raise in the new year, equal to the 6-month inflation rate. With the inflation figures announced by Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT) in November, the inflation difference in the 5-month period covering July, August, September, October and November was 14,04 percent. While civil servants who received a 7 percent raise in July will receive an 8 percent increase and inflation difference for January, the 5-month increase rate reached to 15 percent. The exact figures will become clear with the inflation figure to be announced in January, but the expectation is that there will be an increase of around 18-19 percent.
MEMUR-SEN CALLED FOR A RISE
Memur-Sen called for further improvements for civil servants after the new minimum wage was determined. Memur-Sen, who issued a written statement after the meeting in which the minimum wage was announced, called for a raise, using the expressions “Additional improvements should be made for our public servants in January 2023, and a result that compensates for the losses should emerge,” the statement said.
“EVEN COMPARED TO THE MINIMUM WAGE, WE LOST HALF”
Retirees, whose purchasing power has gradually decreased in the face of rising cost of living and inflation in recent years, began to wait for the increase to be made in January. In our country, where the lowest pension is 3,500 TL, this corresponds to almost half of the hunger limit of 7,245 TL announced by Türk-İş Confederation. Retirement Association of Turkey Chairman Kazım Ergun, making evaluations on the subject referred to the year 2002. Ergun said, “The lowest pension in 2002 was 252 TL. At that time, the minimum wage was around 184 TL. In other words, retirees had a figure above the minimum wage. In today's table, the lowest pension was 3,500 TL and the minimum wage was 5,500 TL. Unfortunately, with the change in monthly accounts in the social security system, we have been suffering since 2000. We lost half of the minimum wage.”
“THE LOWEST PENSION SHOULD BE AMOUNT TO THE MINIMUM WAGE”
Underlining that the changes made in 2000 should be eliminated in order to compensate for the losses, Ergun explained his views on the pension increase to be made in January. Noting that they have been advocating that the lowest pension for a year should be equal to the minimum wage, Ergun said, “With the increase in the minimum wage, the gross wage was expected to be 10,008 TL. In that case, as we said for 1 year, the minimum pension should be equal to the minimum wage. The lowest pension should be increased from 3,500 TL to 7,500 TL.” Finally, he stated that if the rate of setting up a pension, which is 35 percent, is not determined as 70 percent, all the equal hikes to be made will be insufficient.
RETIRED PEOPLE WANT THEIR LOSSES COMPENSATED
After the minimum wage hike for the workers, eyes were turned to increase of the civil servants and pensioners to be made in January. Kazım Ergun, Chairman of the Pensioners' Association of Turkey, made evaluations before the hike in January.
CIVIL SERVANTS AND RETIRED PEOPLE VOICE THE REGULATITON REQUEST!
While it remains unclear whether there will be a welfare share arrangement above the rates agreed with the collective agreement, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently announced that they would take steps to compensate for the welfare losses at the beginning of the year. Civil servants and retirees who experienced a decrease in purchasing power make account after the announcement. With the rise in inflation rates, civil servants and retirees are calling for regulation against their losses. While an adjustment in the raise rates will affect approximately 4 million civil servants and 2 million retirees, around 24 million people, including their families, are waiting for the civil servant raises to be made in January.