Buradasınız
From “Great Turkey” to “the Century of Turkey”: What Has Changed in Our Lives?

In 2011, in the run-up to the general elections, the AKP was seeking votes for “Great Turkey”. Its electoral promises included prosperity, stability, a strong economy and peace. In 2012, under the mantra of “Great Nation, Great Power, Vision 2023”, AKP listed its promises as follows: a single-digit inflation, 25,000 dollars per capita income, a lower unemployment rate and a higher employment rate… During the years that followed, the motto of “Great Turkey” and the targets of the 2023 vision were used by the government for propaganda purposes. In the 2023 elections, however, the government came up with a new slogan: “the Century of Turkey!” So, on the way from “Great Turkey” to “the Century of Turkey” throughout the past 12 years, what has changed in our lives?
As the rulers shouted “Great Turkey” in election rallies, TV screens and parliamentary rostrums, the economy went into free fall. During this process, the lira depreciated, inflation skyrocketed and real wages melted away. In the end, we became even more impoverished. Let alone getting closer to the 2023 targets, each passing year has been worse than the previous one. We ended up unable to make ends meet without working overtime and borrowing money. Under these conditions, we entered the 14 May election process. Again, speeches and promises pervaded the agenda. This time we must vote for “the Century of Turkey”!
In his pre-election speech, Erdogan said, “We promise a new era marked by the struggle to grow, strengthen and enrich Turkey. We will restrain the rising house prices and rents. Likewise, we will put an end to the price increases that directly affect the daily lives of our people, especially food prices.” This is what was promised. In reality, however, the government was biding its time to place the burden of the economic destruction on the working class.
Indeed, right after the election, the government rapidly launched “the Century of Turkey” and bombarded us with successive decrees passed by the parliament at jet speed. Although it is impossible to list all these attacks here, let us briefly mention the major ones. The value added tax (VAT) rate of 8% was raised to 10%. The general VAT rate was increased from 18% to 20%.
VAT on hygiene products such as shampoo, soap, detergent, and toilet paper was increased from 8% to 20%. Fees for services such as passport, visa, notary, lawsuit, licence etc. were increased by 50%. While we had not yet recovered from the VAT shock, special consumption tax (SCT) on fuel was tripled. It was also decided to automatically increase SCT on fuel every 6 months at the rate of producer inflation (PPI). The fuel price hikes do not only concern car owners, it also means price hikes for all products. Storm of price hikes did not end with the VAT and fuel. Even toilet paper has become a luxury now. In the meantime, rents continue to skyrocket.
In the face of the continuous depreciation of the lira and the successive hikes, the wages of all unionised and non-unionised workers have melted away. On the day it was determined as 11,402 liras, the minimum wage was equal to 482 dollars. By the end of July, it decreased to 420 dollars. With wages having fallen to the level of minimum wage, the raise rates determined in collective bargains have lost their validity. Through the trick of “equal pay rise”, the base wages of public workers were once again kept low. The biggest blow, however, was dealt to the pensioners.
The “minimum pension”, which is determined by the government, was not increased. The base salaries were already very low. As a result, despite a 25% pay raise, nearly 9 million pensioners were sentenced to miserable wages that is equal to, or a little bit higher than, 7,500 liras. For the second half of the year, the severance pay ceiling was determined as 23,489 liras, falling to the lowest level in its history. In other words, for each year they worked, workers will be able to receive a maximum of 23,489 liras of severance pay, regardless of their gross wages.
Let us ask the same question once again: from “Great Turkey” to “the Century of Turkey”, what has changed in our lives”? Economic problems, which would have allegedly been solved by now, have further exacerbated. The high cost of living and poverty, which we considered as were temporary, have become permanent. Our wages, which we thought were rising, have actually plummeted. As we all work overtime to make ends meet, our working hours have increased to 12 hours in practice. Apart from these facts, what has changed in our lives?
It is high time that we face the facts. In Worker’s Solidarity, we often emphasise that we should not wait for a saviour and that it is our own hands that will save us. We point out that artificial polarisation is a trap that divides us and makes us unable to claim our rights. No matter which party we voted for, no matter our language, belief or hometown, we are all workers and labourers. We have common problems and solutions. If we want a positive change in our lives, we must face the attacks together and unite our struggle.
Son Eklenenler
- Sırrı Süreyya Önder, Türkiye’de önemli bir siyasi figür. Ama biz UİD-DER’li işçiler, onu, önce temsilciliklerimizde, ev buluşmalarımızda izlediğimiz Beynelmilel filmiyle tanıdık ve sevdik. Sonra “Kıdem Tazminatımızı Gasp Ettirmeyeceğiz!”...
- Mersin’de “1 Mayıs: Umut Örgütlü Mücadelede” adlı etkinliğimizin ardından biz emekçi kadınlar olarak 1 Mayıs’ta alanlarda haykıracağımız taleplerimizi dile getirdik. 1 Mayıs coşkumuzla tüm emekçi kadınları 1 Mayıs’ta birlik olmaya, dayanışmaya...
- Hizmet-İş Sendikasında örgütlü Ankara Altındağ Belediyesi işçilerinin 21 Nisanda başlayan grevi devam ediyor. İstanbul Şişli Belediyesi işçileri alacakları ödenmediği için 24 Nisanda belediye önünde eylem yaptı. 31 Mart yerel seçimleri sonrası İzmir...
- İşçi Sınıfının Uluslararası Birlik, Mücadele ve Dayanışma Günü 1 Mayıs, 1886’dan günümüze inatçı bir gelenek olarak yaşamaya devam ediyor. Türkiye’de 1 Mayıs’ın sembolü haline gelen 1 Mayıs Marşı, “Günlerin bugün getirdiği baskı zulüm ve kandır...
- UİD-DER, “Umut Örgütlü Mücadelede” şiarıyla işçi sınıfının Uluslararası Birlik, Mücadele ve Dayanışma Günü 1 Mayıs hazırlıklarını sürdürüyor. UİD-DER temsilciliklerinde düzenlenen “1 Mayıs: Umut Örgütlü Mücadelede” etkinliklerinde, dünya işçilerinin...
- Bizler Gebze’de yaşayan genç işçiler ve öğrencileriz. İşçi sınıfının mücadele örgütü UİD-DER ile 1 Mayıs alanında sınıfımızın saflarında yerimizi alacağız. Çoktandır başlattığımız çalışmalarımıza hız kesmeden devam ediyoruz. İşçi sınıfına yönelik...
- Dev-Sağlık İş Sendikası üyesi sağlık çalışanları ve Petrol-İş Sendikası üyesi petrokimya işçileri düşük ücret dayatmasına karşı mücadelelerini sürdürüyor.
- Lüks arabalara, gökdelenlere, plazalara, internette gördüğü şatafatlı yaşamlara bakıp “insanlar bu kadar çok parayı nereden buluyorlar?” diye soranımız olmuştur. Öyle ya, gece gündüz çalışarak çok para kazanılmadığını, değil lüks bir hayat sürmek en...
- “Bu devirde babana bile güvenmeyeceksin.” Bu sözü iş arkadaşlarımızdan, akrabalarımızdan, çevremizden sıkça duyuyoruz. Hâlbuki günlük hayatımızdaki birçok uğraşımız güven ilişkisine dayanıyor. Mesela hastanedeki doktordan bindiğimiz otobüsün...
- Bir insanın günde ortalama 5000 ila 10000 reklama maruz kaldığı tahmin ediliyor. Sizce bu durumun üzerimizde nasıl sonuçları oluyor? Bu düzenin sahipleri, düşünce biçimimizi ve alışkanlıklarımızı belirliyor, zihinlerimizi çöplüğe çeviriyor. Günlük...
- Kocaeli’den Batman’a işçiler hakları için mücadele ediyor. Kocaeli Gebze’de bulunan Erlau Metal fabrikasında sendikalaştıkları için işten atılan işçiler direnişe geçti. TFF Başkanı İbrahim Ethem Hacıosmanoğlu’na ait ATR Yapı’nın yapımını üstlendiği...
- Gaziantep’teki Zeugma Mozaik Müzesinde dünyaca bilinen bir mozaik yer alıyor. “Çingene Kızı” adı verilen ve 1800 yıllık geçmişe sahip bu mozaiğin göreni etkileyen, güçlü bir yanı var. Farklı renk ve dokulardaki binlerce küçük taşın birleşiminden...
- 1 Mayıs yaklaşıyor. Ankara’dan emekçi kadınlar olarak sizlerle 1 Mayıs’a hangi taleplerle katılacağımızı paylaşmak istedik. Bu vesileyle tüm emekçi kadın kardeşlerimizi kendi taleplerini, ortak taleplerimizi birlikte dile getirmek için 1 Mayıs’ta...