Çapa Medical Faculty Workers Call for Action: "We Are Forced to Make Our Voices Heard"
Healthcare workers at Çapa Medical Faculty call for widespread protests against low wages, high taxes, and unacceptable 16% wage offer, citing İzmir's successful strike as inspiration. They emphasize that action is the only remaining option to make their voices heard.
ISTANBUL – Healthcare workers at Çapa Medical Faculty emphasized that production-impacting actions are inevitable in the face of low wages and high tax deductions. Ahead of the protests initiated by Türk-İş on June 24, healthcare workers at Çapa Medical Faculty stated that stronger and more widespread actions are necessary due to rising inflation, insufficient wage increase offers, and heavy tax burdens.
During and after the press statement organized by Sağlık-İş Union, workers expressed their economic difficulties and expectations regarding the public framework protocol (KÇP) negotiations. Workers stated that the 16% initial wage increase offer from the Turkish Heavy Industry and Service Sector Public Employers' Union (TÜHİS) meant a real loss and was unacceptable.
"We No Longer Feel Tired After Shopping"
Workers emphasized that daily life has become unsustainable due to rising food prices, declining purchasing power, and rapidly eroding wages. A healthcare worker who has been working at Çapa for 14 years said:
"In 2022, 10 people were working, now 1 person is doing the same job. Last week I bought cheese for 300 TL at the market, this week I bought it for 400 TL. It's much easier to carry bags now because they are empty."
İzmir Strike Set an Example
Healthcare workers stated that they closely followed the one-week strike by İZELMAN and İZENERJİ workers at İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, and that this strike's successful outcome demonstrated the importance of power derived from production.
"Our work is not visible, but when we stop, everything stops. If the workers in İzmir won, they won with a strike. Voices are heard by affecting production, not just by asking nicely," they said.
Tax Burden Crippling
Healthcare workers stated that they receive an average salary of 37,500 TL, but 27% of this goes to taxes, and the remaining amount is not even enough for basic needs.
According to May 2025 data from Birleşik Metal-İş and Türk-İş, the poverty line for a family of four exceeded 81,000 TL. In this situation, the 16% wage increase offer was calculated to be a real increase of only 345 TL.
No Option Left But Action
The workers' common view is clear: "There is no option left but action. Now the only choice is to act. Unions need to voice their demands loudly and on the ground."
Source: evrensel.net
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