During the visit, the demands for a raise in the salaries of 5 million public servants and 2 million retirees were conveyed to the Minister Işıkhan.
Making statements after the visit, Kahveci pointed out that the purchasing power has decreased and underlined that as a result of the regulations, the civil servants have become almost the lowest salaries.
With the announcement of inflation figures by TURKSTAT, the eyes were turned to the increase to be made for civil servants and retirees. Turkey Kamu-Sen Chairman Önder Kahveci and the Chairman of the unions affiliated to the confederation conveyed the expectations of civil servants and retirees during their visit to the Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan.
Kahveci drew attention to the increasing inflation figures and stated that the welfare share should be given in the increases to be made in the salaries of civil servants.
Pointing out that approximately 5 million public servants, 2 million retirees and their families and around 30 million people are waiting for a raise, Kahveci stated that the purchasing power of the employees is gradually decreasing with the inflation figures.
"As a result of the salary increases made to both the minimum wage and the public workers, our public servants have become the lowest-paid segment of our country. Although the statements of the President of the Republic that the lowest civil servant salary will be increased to 22 thousand TL on May 11, 2023, gave hope to public employees who receive a minimum wage, the developments in the economy since that day show that this increase will not be enough to compensate for the losses of public employees," he said.
22 THOUSAND TL PROMISE, 281 DOLLARS MELTED IN 1.5 MONTHS
Making a comparison of President Erdogan's promise regarding the basic pension with the exchange rates of that day, Kahveci stated that the depreciation of exchange rates and gold has increased.
"When the announcement was made on May 11, it was worth 1,125 dollars and 1,26 euros for 22 thousand TL, and 17.3 grams of gold could be bought with this amount. Today, 844 dollars, 773 euros or 13.6 grams of gold can be bought for 22 thousand TL. Therefore, the increase promised to our civil servants has melted away, and in terms of purchasing power of 22 thousand TL, 281 dollars, 253 euros and 3.7 grams of gold have been lost since 11 May. As such, even undetermined salaries continue to melt," he added.
THE INCREASE MUST BE REFLECTED TO ALL PUBLIC EMPLOYEES
Expressing that they expressed their demands for the salaries of public employees in the face of the losses experienced, Kahveci stated that the regulations should continue after the base civil servant salaries were increased to 22 thousand TL.
"After the base salary adjustment, the 6 percent increase in the second period of 2023 and the inflation difference that will arise according to the inflation to be realized, is to be applied on the salaries, in addition to the welfare share. It is a necessity of the process we live that these increases to be made in the lowest grade civil servants' salary are reflected to all public employees in the same way," Kahveci said.