The gap between the salaries of pensioners and workers has widened

SHAFAQNA Türkiye – Due to recent increases, the gap between pensions and workers’ wages has widened.

Recently, the General Assembly of the Turkish Grand National Assembly adopted a bill that includes a relevant provision that raises the minimum wage for civil servants to 22,000 Turkish liras and raises pensions by 25 percent.

While the reaction to the increase, which was frustrated by pensioners and civil servants, continued, Ahmet Vehbi Bakırlıoğlu, deputy CHP in Manisa, in his study revealed a gap between the minimum wage of a pensioner and that of a civil servant.

Noting that during the 21 years of the AKP’s rule, the pension has been largely reduced every year compared to the minimum wage and wages of civil servants, Bakırlıoğlu said: “In 2003, while the pensioner’s chickens had 263 received a minimum wage of 225 Turkish liras. In other words, pensioner Bag-Kura received a salary of 1.16% more than the minimum wage. This figure has dropped to 0.65 since the last increase in 2023,” he said.

EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEES EARN MORE THAN 12 THOUSAND TL

According to Bakırlıoğlu’s research, while the lowest salary of a civil servant was 488 TL in 2003, the lowest salary of a retired civil servant was 448 TL.

In 2023, the lowest salary of civil servants was 22,000 TL, the lowest salary of retired civil servants was 9,876 TL, and the ratio of retired civil servants to active civil servants fell to 45 percent.

Bakırlioğlu said, “In addition, the salary gap between SGK retirees and employees during the AKP’s rule is very large.”

“Although in 2003 the SGK pensioner received a salary of 332 Turkish liras, at that time he received a minimum wage of 225 Turkish liras. At that time, SGC retirees were paid 1.47% more than the minimum wage, and in 2023 this figure fell to 0.65.

Now the SGK pensioner receives a salary of TL 7,500 and the minimum wage worker receives TL 11,402.

These figures show us that every year the AKP is in power, the salary of a pensioner is significantly reduced compared to the minimum wage and the salary of civil servants.”

WHEN THE SCISSORS OPENED, THE PENSION DREAM FALLED INTO THE WATER

In addition, Bakırlıoğlu emphasized that pensioners are gradually doomed to inflation every year and said: “Retirement is now a dream for civil servants. The widening gap between civil servants’ wages while they work and the wages they will receive when they retire has dampened the hopes of civil servants dreaming of retirement.

“THEY SHOULD WORK UNTIL 65”

“Officers will now have to work until the age of 65 when they are discharged from their positions. At this cost of living, who can afford to cut their monthly income in half?” Bakirlioglu said:

“Both the working world and the social balance were completely upset. The balance of personnel mode has been turned on its head. While idle teachers, health workers and college graduates wait for assignments, retired civil servants will have to delay their retirement.

All representatives of public unions said that it was wrong to give an increase in commissions, and instead a net increase of 8,000 lire should be added to the base salary.

As CHP, we are of the same opinion. Our proposals were rejected by the votes of the deputies of the AKP and the MHP. If our proposal were accepted, then the lowest salary of civil servants would be 22,000 liras, and the lowest salary of pensioners would increase to 19,000 liras. Thus, the gap between wages received while working and pension would be reduced.”