Action from Pensioners in Konak: We Want Our Rights, Not Charities

Retirees came together in Konak to react to the increasing cost of living, low pensions and contributions to health services.

Meeting with the call of the Revolutionary Pensioners Union, the retirees reiterated their demand for wages sufficient to live humanely and for a wage increase, saying, "We do not want alms, we want our rights."

Reading the press release, Revolutionary Pensioners' Union Konak Branch President Esma Minareci said, "We will not let our labor or our honor be stolen."

During the statements, he often said, "Budget for retirees, not for the palace", "We will win by resisting", "We are retired, we are right, we will win". slogans were shouted.

Pointing out that pensions are insufficient in the face of increasing living costs, Revolutionary Pensioners' Union Konak Branch President Esma Minareci made a statement about the economic problems experienced by retirees.

Minareci said that millions of retirees who have worked, produced and paid premiums for years are now faced with increasingly severe poverty, and emphasized that the right to retirement is not a blessing, but a reward for years of effort.

Stating that retirees have difficulty making ends meet with the pensions they receive, Minareci said, "We worked for years and paid premiums. We earned our retirement right not as a blessing, but as a reward for our sweat. However, today, millions of retirees cannot make ends meet with the salary they receive; they have difficulty accessing basic foodstuffs, rent, electricity, natural gas and health services. While the bread on the retiree's table is shrinking, the cost of living is increasing."

“WE DO NOT ACCEPT BEING DOMINATED TO POVERTY”

Expressing that the retirement period should be spent in peace and security, Minareci said that making retirees dependent on debt and the support of their relatives is incompatible with the understanding of the social state.

Minareci said, "We do not accept being condemned to poverty. Leaving retirees dependent on their children's help, debt, loans and alms is incompatible with the understanding of the social state. We do not want alms. We want our rights. We want the reward of the premiums we have paid for years and the sweat we have shed."

Noting that they demand pensions worthy of human dignity and a fair retirement system, Minareci stated that pensions are melting against real inflation.

“WE WILL NOT GIVE UP OUR DEMAND FOR A RAISE”

Stating that they will continue to struggle to improve the economic conditions of retirees, Minareci said, "We will not stand by and watch pensions melt away in the face of real inflation. We will not give up our demand for a voluntary increase. We will fight to raise the lowest pension to a level worthy of human dignity."

Reacting to the contributions and participation fees received in health services, Minareci said that retirees' access to health services should not be made difficult by economic obstacles.

Minareci said, "We will oppose making the right to health paid and making it difficult for retirees to access health services through contributions and participation fees. We will fight for social policies that guarantee the right of retirees to housing, nutrition, transportation and health."

“RETIRED PEOPLE WILL NO LONGER BE SILENT”

Reacting to the fact that retirees are remembered only during election periods, Minareci drew attention to the importance of organized struggle.

Minareci said, "We are clearly saying to those who remember us only during election periods; retirees will no longer be silent, will not wait and will not leave their own fate to the mercy of others. We will organize, come side by side and defend our rights together."

Stating that the problems experienced by retirees do not only concern today's retirees, Minareci said that current social security and wage policies directly affect the future of employees and young generations.

Minareci said, "The hand that reaches out to the bread on the retiree's table today also reaches out to the future of tomorrow's employee and the younger generations," and added, "To protect labor means to protect the future. To protect retirees means to protect human dignity."

“WE WILL NOT HAVE OUR LABOR AND OUR HONOR STOLEN”

Calling on all retirees to organize, Minareci emphasized that rights can only be protected through a common struggle.

Minareci said, "Let's come side by side, let's organize, let's fight together for our rights. No right becomes permanent without a struggle. We will defend our rights in the streets, squares and in all areas of life. We will not let our labor be stolen, we will not have our honor stolen, we will not have our future stolen. We do not want charity, we want our rights."