Even a 22% increase in pay can’t cover the losses due to inflation. When the 22% was mentioned, the workers refused to take it seriously. And they stopped their motorcycles and gathered in front of the Scotty Headquarters in Papyrus Plaza in Istanbul’s Kagithane district. Scotty employees who wanted a 40 percent raise said, “We don’t take it seriously nor have an announcement entertaining the 1 Lira offer, don’t mislead the public.” After a meeting between Scotty management and labor representatives, the workers announced that their request for a raise had not been accepted.
Scotty administration refuses workers’ requests for raises: “Our struggle will continue.”
Scotty employees refused to accept the 22 percent increase and closed contacts throughout Turkey. Workers gathered in front of Scotty Headquarters in Istanbul and said, “We do not accept a raise below inflation.” After discussions with Scotty management and labor representatives, workers announced that their demands for raises had not been met
Turkey is in a deep structural economic crisis. When the government’s Statistics Department announced the fake inflation numbers around 22%, the entire government became a laughing stock. Subsequently, yesterday, the head of the department was sacked not because he lied but because he didn’t lie enough to hide the inflation.
The prices in Turkey have increased even as high as 100% in only a few weeks. Both the government and the corporations are taking the opportunity to fool people with so-called wage increases that look adequate, yet, most wage increases miss even the gains of prices in the last month.
Scotty is such a corporation.
It boasts itself as a leader in free-market principles and an innovation corporation of logistics, with the regular mumbo-jumbo of modern-sounding business jargon. Yet, Scotty transportation corporation fails the test regarding honesty, as nearly all corporations do. They hire workers to distribute goods to other corporations using motorcycles, and they claim the distribution will be done “without any traffic delays.” Anyone who has been in Istanbul traffic will know the dangers this brings to the drivers and others on the road.
In labor negotiations this month, the Scotty business dared to offer a “1 lira” pay raise to its workers. That is a 7 cent increase in an economy where the actual inflation is approaching 80%. This so-called pay increase is beyond meaningless when people buy bread in the morning for the evening because the price will go up before they come home.
Even a 22% increase in pay can’t cover the losses due to inflation. When the 22% was mentioned, the workers refused to take it seriously. And they stopped their motorcycles and gathered in front of the Scotty Headquarters in Papyrus Plaza in Istanbul’s Kagithane district. Scotty employees who wanted a 40 percent raise said, “We don’t take it seriously nor have an announcement entertaining the 1 Lira offer, don’t mislead the public.” After a meeting between Scotty management and labor representatives, the workers announced that their request for a raise had not been accepted.
EMPLOYEES CALL IN FRONT OF SCOTTY HEADQUARTERS: “WE WILL NOT GIVE AWAY OUR RIGHTS”
Following the rejection by the bosses, the workers gathered outside Scotty Headquarters, where they said they had requested $12,500 + VAT, which amounts to a 40 percent increase.
Three labor representatives outside Scotty Headquarters went in to meet with Scotty’s administration. Other workers held a sit-in at the door, waiting for the outcome of the meeting. During the interviews, management said it did not approve of the workers’ request for a raise.
Transport Labor Union Nakliyat-İş Leader Ali Riza Küçükosmanoglu and Umut-Sen Union Organizing Coordinator Başaran Aksu announced the meeting and stressed that the workers would not stop fighting.
Sendika.org News (MB)
