With the inflation rate over the past five months standing at 22.72 percent, retirees are focusing on June inflation, when salary increases will become more evident.
According to a news report from the Turkiye newspaper, Kazım Ergün, chairman of the Turkish Pensioners’ Association (TÜD), said that retirees can expect a pay increase of at least 15,000 liras, taking into account the daily pay increase of 8.77 liras that was not paid so far, and the growth rate is 5.7 percent.
Retirees expect a pay increase of 15,000 lira
TÜD Chairman Ergün said, “We have to give up the inequality because an increase in percentages would make inequality worse. The country is growing. But we cannot take part of the increase in pensions, because it is linked to the consumer price index. To give part of the growth to retirees, it needs to be increased linearly. Retirement allowances were not deducted from the linear salary increase of 8,77 liras given to civil servants so far, but if they were, it would also be reflected to retired civil servants. If this mistake is corrected, the salary increase in question will be reflected to retired civil servants, so there will be a right to give this difference to retired workers and civil servants. Taking into account the growth rate of 5.7 percent and the salary increase of 8,077 liras, which was not given to retirees so far, the due salary increase will be about 12,000 liras. Taking into account the decline in purchasing power, 877 liras last year will not be reflected in 877 liras this year. “In summary, the wage increase expectation of retirees is 15,000 liras,” he said.
Ergün said the monthly pension system should be changed, pointing out that the system is creating poor retirees. “Monthly bond interest rates have fallen from 70 percent to 35 percent. Here retirees suffer very serious losses. These parameters need to be changed,” he said.
Festival bonuses rated
Evaluating the 3,000 lira holiday bonus, Ergün said: “An increase in the holiday bonus should have also been built into the system. Unfortunately, the government did not introduce this increase. Even if the 1,000 lira holiday bonus had been increased by the inflation rate, the figure would have exceeded 5,000 lira. During the period when a retiree received a 1,000 lira holiday bonus, he could buy a victim for 700 lira. “Today, it is impossible to buy a victim for 3,000 lira.”
