Civil Servants, Retirees, Tradesmen Complain: Birleşik Kamu-İş Asks "Who is Satisfied?"

Trabzon – Ahead of the upcoming 8th Round of Collective Bargaining negotiations, the Birleşik Kamu-İş Confederation has issued a striking statement regarding the state of the Turkish economy and the inequality in income distribution. The Confederation emphasized that while broad segments of society are struggling under severe economic conditions, a small minority is accumulating vast profits, stressing that the current situation is unsustainable.

"Civil Servants, Retirees, Farmers, Tradesmen: No One is Satisfied with the Situation!"

In its statement, the Birleşik Kamu-İş Confederation drew attention to the "we are hungry" cries rising from all corners of the country. The Confederation stated that civil servants and retirees are fighting for survival, with their purchasing power diminishing daily. Especially as the 8th Round of Collective Bargaining negotiations approaches, the Confederation expressed that the fundamental expectation of public employees and retirees is a livable wage, adding that current economic conditions are far from meeting these expectations.

Birleşik Kamu-İş stressed that not only civil servants and retirees but also other segments of society are dissatisfied. They stated, "Our farmers and producers complain that they are not getting the fair value for what they produce, saying that their hard work is not compensated. When we look at our tradesmen, they are also in a difficult situation due to increasing costs and decreasing purchasing power; they are not satisfied with the situation," indicating that economic hardship has become a societal problem.

"Billions of Liras in Profit Are Taken From Workers, From Laborers!"

In stark contrast to this widespread dissatisfaction, the Confederation highlighted the existence of a small minority that is extremely pleased with the situation. The statement read, "Three or five holdings in our country are satisfied. They are adding profit upon profit. Financial companies announce billions of liras in profit in their monthly economic bulletins," suggesting that large capital groups and financial institutions are making enormous profits even in a crisis environment.

Birleşik Kamu-İş explicitly defined the source of these profits: "So, from whom does this small minority take these billions of liras in profit? Of course, from the worker, from the laborer!" This sharp emphasis clearly revealed the inequality in income distribution, the devaluation of labor against capital, and the concentration of wealth in certain hands. The Confederation argued that in a system where millions living on their labor are increasingly impoverished, capital continues to grow, and therefore, the current economic model needs to be re-evaluated.

With this statement, the Birleşik Kamu-İş Confederation signaled that in the upcoming collective bargaining process, they will not only advocate for wage increases but also for a fairer income distribution and structural changes that will increase the welfare of all segments of society. The Confederation emphasized their commitment to continue the struggle for labor to receive its rightful value.