Retirees are meeting in Ankara for an additional increase in their salaries and their purchasing power against increasing prices. With the action organized by the All Pensioners' Union, the Pensioners' and Elders' Assembly and the Pensioners' Solidarity Union, retirees from all over Turkey will try to make their voices heard at the Ankara Anıt Park Rally Area for an "additional increase in their salaries."
8 million of more than 13 million retirees in our country receive a monthly salary of less than 3,000 Turkish Liras (TL). There are retirees who only get half of the hunger limit. Retirees, who marched to Ankara against low salaries and raises, will call for an additional raise in their salaries and to reduce the increasing costs, with a rally to be held in Ankara Anıt Park Rally Today.
ACTION IS EXPECTED TO BE WITH INTENSE PARTICIPATION
The rally, which is expected to gather many retirees from all over Turkey, will be held today at 14.00 in Ankara Anıt Park. At the rally, demands such as additional hike in pensions, improvement of holiday bonuses, withdrawal of hikes in consumer products will be made. Some political party representatives and many non-governmental organizations are also expected to participate in the action.
BASIC DEMANDS ARE RELATED TO THE ECONOMY
While the retirees have many demands with the rally, the primary demands are related to the field of economy. With the rally, retirees will demand the withdrawal of the hikes in food prices, an additional payment of equal to four salaries in a year, and a new 60 percent increase in their pensions. In addition to these, a call will be made to remove the obstacles to the union rights of retirees.
COST OF LIVING BRINGS RETIRED PEOPLE CLOSER TO DEATH
Pointing out that the rally will be held by retirees who want to lead a decent life, All Retirees' Union Chairman Zeynel Abidin Ergen pointed out that retirees continue their lives of hunger and misery after their retirement despite years of work, and said, "The increasing cost of living brings us retirees closer to death. Percentage increases in our salaries are eroded by the hikes made before they are reflected in our salaries. Every new day, the increase in basic necessities means that we retirees become a little poorer and are pushed to a little more misery and death. As if there were no contributions deducted from our salaries during the years we worked, they get contributions from us at every stage of health services. These figures are to discipline retirees with death. That's why we come together as retirees at a rally."