Historical discrimination in pension payments

The eyes of 15 million retirees were on the cabinet meeting yesterday. Both an increase and a bonus were expected on the occasion of the centenary of the Republic. President Tayyip Erdoğan’s statement after the meeting was very disappointing.

While Erdoğan did not announce any increase to retirees, he announced that a one-time payment of 5,000 TL would be made to retirees who were not working in early November. Erdoğan did not make any statement that this payment was made on the occasion of the centenary of the Republic.

Erdoğan’s statement: “We exclude from this regulation our pensioners who have retired but continue to work actively,” added to the disappointment.

The retirees, most of whom had not received a raise for 7 months and were considered worthy of a monthly salary of 7,500 TL, were divided into workers and non-workers.

‘AGAINST THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUALITY, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY’

Speaking to Sozcu.com.tr, Professor of the Department of Labor Economics and Industrial Relations of Kocaeli University, Prof. Dr. Aziz Çelik stated that discrimination between employees and non-employees in retirement payments goes against the principle of equality of the Constitution.

Reminding that there is no such distinction in the holiday bonus, Çelik said: “This is the first time in history that such a distinction has been made.”

Noting that millions of retirees are forced to work because the salaries they receive are very low, Çelik emphasized that yesterday’s decision punishes registered employees and encourages unregistered work.

‘UNREGISTERED WORK WAS PROMOTED’

Çelik stated that according to TÜİK labor force surveys, about 45 percent of retirees are forced to work, that the state provides incentives for retirees to work, and that unregistered work is common among retirees, Çelik He said that informality may increase even more with yesterday’s decision.

Stating that illegal and arbitrary discrimination was carried out, Çelik said that the payment to be made to widows and orphans is less than 5 thousand TL, the payment to the widow will remain at 2,500 TL, and the payment to orphans will remain at 1,250 TL. .

MILLIONS OF PENSIONERS WILL NOT RECEIVE PAYMENTS

Erdogan also stated yesterday that the total cost of this payment to pensioners to the budget will exceed 61 billion Turkish liras. When this figure is divided by 5 thousand, it can be thought that approximately 12 million 200 thousand retirees will be paid, but since payments to widows and orphans are also included in this figure, it is not clear how many retirees will receive payments and how many are excluded from the scope.

Teacher. Çelik also stated that the number of registered or unregistered working retirees is not included in the official data.

THEY RECEIVE HALF THE HUNGER LIMIT PER MONTH

The government has been delaying for months the payment of monthly salaries below the hunger threshold to retirees whom it considered appropriate.

The minimum pension supported by the Treasury, which was increased to 7,500 TL in March before the elections, has not changed even though 7 months have passed.

Since basic salaries did not change, the semi-annual increase of 25 percent did not change the pensions received by millions of retirees.

Türk-İş announced in September that the hunger line increased to 13 thousand 334 TL and the poverty line increased to 43 thousand 433 TL.

Millions of retirees are trying to make ends meet on a monthly salary of 56 percent of the hunger line and 17 percent of the poverty line.

While TÜİK inflation was 27.13 percent in the five-month period from March to August, when the minimum pension was increased to 7,500 TL, this rate increased to 34.08 percent when inflation was taken into account September ITO.

In response to the backlash from retirees, the government flagged the increase in October, when Turkey’s Grand National Assembly was to open.

President Erdoğan asked reporters at the opening ceremony of the Turkish Grand National Assembly on October 1: “Will there be good news about an increase before the New Year?” “With a little luck.” He responded, but was not given any raise.

THE SEYYANEN INCREASE WAS NOT GIVEN TO THE RETIRED PUBLIC OFFICIAL

With the law passed by the Turkish Grand National Assembly in July, the salaries of all civil servants increased by 8,000 lira, and the lowest salary of civil servants was increased to 22,000 lira.

However, despite all the demands and reactions, retired officials did not receive a progressive increase and the lowest salary for retired officials is 9,876 TL.

AFTER THE ELECTIONS, THE BELT WAS TIGHTENED, THE RETIREES WERE FORGOTTEN

The government, which reduced interest rates and raised wages and curbed the rise in exchange rates before the elections, made a 180-degree turn in its economic policy after the elections.

After Mehmet Şimşek was appointed Minister of Treasury and Finance, the Central Bank’s policy interest rate (CBRT) was increased from 8.5 percent to 30 percent, while interest rates on overdue credit cards increased from 29 percent to 72 percent.

While the dollar exchange rate, which was around 19 lira before the election, was gradually reduced to 27 lira after the election, tax increases were made on many items, especially SCT, VAT and MTV.

While inflation rose rapidly after the election and, according to ITO, exceeded 73 percent in September, the government deemed it appropriate to pay half the hunger level to retirees.