Union Chair Forgets to Turn Microphone Off: 'If This Took Longer, We Would Mess Up'

Photo: AA

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Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-İş) came to terms with the government on a collective labor agreement for public employees on Monday (August 12), giving up its previous demands and accepting the offer of the government.

Türk-İş Chairperson Ergün Atalay and Minister of Labor Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk held a joint press conference to announce the agreement that concerns more than 500 thousand employees.

At one point, Atalay turned to the minister while covering the microphone on the table with his hand. But there were also other microphones of press members on the table. Hence, his words were heard: "If this takes longer, we will mess up. At least this way, I finished it."

Minister Selçuk nodded her head but did not say anything.

Before the negotiations started earlier this month, the Türk-İş demanded that the lowest wage be increased to 3,500 Turkish liras (~625 US dollars), all public workers have a gross wage increase of 300 TRY on an equal basis as well as a wage increase of 15 percent in the first six months and an increase of inflation+3 percent in the second, third and fourth halves.

The union also said that it will hold sit-in protests and go on a strike if its demands are not met.

However, according to the Collective Labor Agreement, the workers with a wage less than 3,500 liras will receive 150 liras as bonification. As for the wage increase of all workers, a wage increase of 8 percent will be applied for the first six months this year and an increase of 4 percent for the second six months. As for the year 2020, a wage increase of 3 percent will be made in the first and second halves of 2020 in addition to a wage increase at the rate of margin with the inflation.

"I didn't do anything to shame workers"

Atalay drew criticism on social media from politicians and labor organizations because of his words. Filiz Kerestecioğlu, an MP from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), said, "You couldn't finish!" Özgür Özel from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) accused Atalay of not protecting the "public workers' right to receive their labor's worth and the possibility of working and living in better conditions."

The Highway Workers' Platform shared the video and said, "The document of how they sold the workers on the table!"

In response to criticism, Atalay said he "didn't do anything to shame the workers."

Speaking to Fox TV, the union chair said, "We have always been sided with workers and we will continue to be so. We go to a factory; I have a temporary worker on my right and a subcontracted worker who has been transferred to permanent staff. The temporary workers say, 'We have been paying dues to you for a long time. Take us into permanent staff. The worker on my left says, 'Regulate our salaries.' I am obliged to defend the rights of all workers."

(AÖ/VK)