TÜRK-İŞ General President Ergün Atalay addressed the discrepancy between the pensions of those retiring in 2024 and those retiring in 2025, stating, “There is a significant demand. There is a money gap of at least 5,000 to 12,000 lira. Why would people leave that money? You cannot attribute this matter to inflation.” Atalay made this statement in anticipation of the “Labor Meeting Rally” to be held in Ankara on October 20 with the participation of all workers and retirees to address issues in the labor market.

Atalay invited retirees, minimum wage earners, subcontracted workers, and members of various labor components to the rally, stating that 2,000 buses from different cities will be coming to Ankara for the event. Emphasizing that the rally will allow workers to express their current conditions and difficulties, Atalay pointed out the various challenges such as lack of organization, job security, income disparities, informality, insecure employment, and work accidents. He highlighted their commitment to raising these issues through panels, seminars, and strikes until solutions are found.

Discussing the upcoming minimum wage negotiations, Atalay criticized the discord in the workplace caused by varying wages for public employees and stressed the importance of starting discussions early to prevent further financial burdens on workers. He noted that this year’s minimum wage commission will comprise minimum wage earners, with TÜRK-İŞ not being involved. Atalay also highlighted the lack of a positive response from officials regarding their demands and called for solutions that do not exacerbate the existing disparities.

Regarding the retirement system, Atalay debunked claims about a 30% salary gap between workers retiring in 2024 and 2025 and disputed the idea that the “Supplementary Retirement System” could replace severance payments. He expressed concerns about the discrepancies in pension payouts and emphasized the need for immediate legislative action to prevent significant financial losses for retirees. Atalay stressed the importance of addressing these issues promptly to avoid detrimental outcomes for retirees.