Sinop – Members of unions affiliated with Hak-İş, one of Turkey's prominent labor confederations, raised their voices in Sinop against the low wage increase offers allegedly made to public workers. Following a press statement in front of the Accessible Living Center (Engelsiz Yaşam Merkezi), workers staged a sit-in, emphasizing their inability to make ends meet under current economic conditions and that their demands are not being taken seriously. Cries of "We can't pay the rent, our credit card debt" echoed during the protest.

Rejection of "Bargain Bazaar" Like Offers

Hak-İş Union Sinop Provincial Representative Esra Gelişli addressed the public, expressing the workers' disappointment. Gelişli stated that the current stage of the Public Framework Protocol (KÇP) negotiations, which have been awaited since January, is unacceptable. Despite the KÇP draft, meticulously prepared by unions affiliated with the confederation for months and submitted to TÜHİS (Turkish Union of Employers in Public Services) by Hak-İş Coordination Board Chairman and Öz Sağlık-İş Union General Chairman Mr. Devlet Sert and other board members 5 months ago, the employer came to the table with "mocking offers" like 1+1 increases, likened to a "bargain bazaar."

In her speech, Esra Gelişli summarized the difficult situation of public workers: "The worker is tired, the worker cannot make ends meet, the tax burden on the worker's shoulders is getting heavier. The worker cannot get their share from the growing Turkey; the worker continues to be crushed under the inflation that is said to have fallen."

"We Have No Face Left to Look at Our Families Whom We Cannot Support"

Gelişli stated that workers are tired of waiting for offers from the table and of the words "we are evaluating." She expressed that statements like "the process is going normally" hurt them, and "great opportunities have already been provided to workers" are breaking and make them feel worthless. The concrete difficulties faced by workers were reflected in Gelişli's words:

"The worker cannot bring bread to the table. We cannot pay our rent. We cannot pay our credit cards. We cannot meet our children's essential needs. We have no face left to look at our families whom we cannot support."

These words revealed that public workers are under significant economic, social, and psychological pressure. This symbolic protest in front of the Accessible Living Center once again emphasized public workers' right to a dignified life, stating that the current situation is unsustainable and that union demands must be met urgently. Hak-İş signaled its continued struggle for a stronger voice for workers in the Public Framework Protocol negotiations and for a fair outcome.

Source: evrensel.net