Turkish workers’ union holds protest for tax justice

Duvar English

The Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-İş) on Aug. 21 held simultaneous press conferences in every province of Turkey with the slogan "Justice in Taxation." 

In the central Eskişehir province, hundreds of workers gathered in front of the Ulus Monument, chanting slogans such as "We want justice in taxation," "This is just the beginning, the struggle continues," and "Hands off our labor."

Speaking on behalf of the Türk-İş Eskişehir Branch, TES-İŞ Eskişehir Branch President Haluk Doğan drew attention to the rising rent prices in major cities, saying "Workers and the poor can no longer endure this burden.” 

He continued, “Every day, there are price hikes on everything from groceries to essential goods. Last month, electricity prices increased, and this month, natural gas saw a 38% hike. Schools will open next month, and education costs have become unbearable. Mothers and fathers are asking, ‘How will we send our children to school?’ Workers are already worrying about their children’s education expenses."

Doğan emphasized that workers, who bear no responsibility for rising inflation, should not be expected to make sacrifices to reduce it. 

"The removal of employees' transportation and other rights through public savings measures is unacceptable. These rights were gained through collective bargaining agreements.”

Eliminating such rights by decree violated not only the relevant provisions of the Constitution but also International Labor Organization norms and international agreements, held the union representative.

“Savings should come from preventing waste in the public sector, not by taking away workers' transportation and other rights. Workers are not the cause of inflation; they are its victims," he said.

Doğan also called for urgent updates to income tax brackets and rates to “ensure income equality in Turkey.”

“Those who accumulate wealth using the resources of this country must fulfill their societal responsibilities and pay taxes proportionate to their earnings. The tax system should ensure that those who earn more pay more, and those who earn less pay less."

He pointed out that the first bracket of the income tax rate for wage earners has been set at 110,000 TL for 2024, adding, "In past years, many workers did not fall into the second tax bracket until the final months of the year, but today, many enter the second bracket as early as March. They are paying the equivalent of an extra one and a half months' salary in taxes each year. The first bracket of the income tax rate should not be less than 12 times the gross minimum wage, as it was in previous years.”

Doğan held that these measures were necessary to reduce the tax burden on workers' wages. Workers were subjected to both direct taxes withheld at the source and indirect taxes through spending, which needed to be also reduced, and the income tax rate for all workers should be fixed at 15 percent.