KTÖS argued that the only thing that those who said “we will bring stability to the country” were able to achieve during their government was unemployment, inflation, high cost, price hikes and impoverishment.
Cyprus Turkish Teachers’ Union (KTÖS) Education Secretary Süleyman Gelener made written requests as sixteen unions on 3 August regarding the minimum wage, immigration law and regulation of tax brackets.
He noted that they conveyed this to Finance Minister Alişan Şan, claiming that “technical work” was carried out in the three weeks that passed, and that at the end of the process, in response to a two-page written request, university class staff were offered an additional gross increase of 100 TL.
In his statement, Gelener made the following statements:
“While the wages that are melting day by day in the face of inflation and foreign exchange cause the employees to become poorer, employees pay taxes at a higher rate than the bosses.
The principle of ‘equal pay for equal work’ has been destroyed since 2011, the minimum wage commission reflects the fact that the minimum wage to be determined has become the common wage in the country.
While the barriers to unionization and collective bargaining in the private sector have not been removed, the country has become a society of minimum wage earners, extremely common and generous exemptions, tax amnesties and reductions offered to the shareholders are indispensable.
Resources are transferred to supporters, dismissals and appointments continue at full speed. This suggestion to the unions means two things, to say the least, indifference and frivolity.”
Gelener said that they once again warned the government, which “has a habit of drawing pink paintings”.
Expressing that they called for serious and concrete measures to be taken for the benefit of the people while determining the 2023 budget and income tax brackets.
He said, “We, as KTÖS, bring to the knowledge of the public that we will continue our struggle on every platform, together with other unions until our demands for equal pay for equal work and justice in taxation are met.”