TIME MOVES VERY FAST...

We have already completed the first half of the year 2024. In the first six months of this year, which we began with great hopes and a great victory, we have experienced irreplaceable losses, deep sorrow, new beginnings, and much excitement. While experiencing these emotions, each of which is a turning point in our lives, our greatest strength has been our resolute attitude and determination to fight.

The fact that we never forgot in this process is that we, as Turk Metal family, are the biggest organized power in the trade union life. We are proud of the power that we get from the metal workers who say "Where Türk Metal is, we are" with the loudest voice wherever we go on different occasions. Thanks to this strength, we are able to face all difficulties, to draw new roadmaps for ourselves and to never lose our will to struggle. We never compromise our unity. If we fight together, we win together.

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Despite the great contract victory we achieved at the beginning of the year, we entered a difficult period in the second half of the year due to the economic conditions in our country. On the one hand, we are trying to cope with the difficulties caused by high inflation, while on the other hand, our wages have started to erode due to taxes that are a great burden for us working people. Our gains are rapidly being eroded and conditions are challenging us all.

Last month, the 13th Workers' Assembly was held in Ankara. At the meeting, which I also attended, we once again strongly raised our demand for fairness in taxation. We demanded that those who earn more should be taxed more and those who earn less should be taxed less. According to studies, about 65 percent of the income tax in our country is paid by workers. Indirect taxes, which average 35 percent in the European Union, approach 70 percent in our country. With both the income tax deducted from our wages and the indirect taxes we pay, the tax burden is on the shoulders of us, the working people. At this point we have only one demand, we want to receive the same wage in December as we received in January. Our demand is so clear, so clear.

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In the last few months, we have successfully completed the General Assemblies of Düzce, Izmir, Izmir No. 1 and Tuzla branches of our union. The enthusiasm and excitement of our members gave us hope for the future. In these General Assemblies, which were the best examples of democratic participation, we met with our members and listened to their opinions and suggestions. We took new decisions that will allow our union to become a stronger and more effective structure. Yes, we are the biggest union in Turkey, but we cannot be satisfied with this. In every step we will take from now on, we will think and discuss how to take our union forward.

We recently increased the number of our branches. To make it easier for our members to reach their unions, we have increased the number of branches across the country to 35. And we have done this at a time when unions around the world are losing power. Yes, we are growing, we are getting stronger as we grow. But we are also getting younger. We are getting stronger with a more dynamic and energetic staff.

Between 19 - 22 May 2024, we organized the first Grand Assembly of Young Workers of our union. We hosted more than 700 young brothers and sisters, who sweat and add value to the production in the workplaces where we are organized, in our hotel in Ankara. We listened to their opinions and suggestions and tried to understand their expectations and needs. We will continue this meeting from now on. We will make it one of the traditional events of the Turkish Metal Union. Every year on May 19, we will celebrate The Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day and at the same time we will organize the Grand Assembly of Young Workers. Because it is very important for us that young workers join us. We know that young people are the future of our union. We believe that the steps we take for them will make them feel more secure in their working life and will help our union to take stronger steps in the future.

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The 112th International Labor Conference of the ILO (International Labor Organization) was held at the beginning of June. At the conference, which I attended with the delegation of TÜRK-İŞ, important decisions were made to improve working conditions, job security and protection of social rights at the global level. We will continue to work for the implementation and dissemination of the standards set by the ILO in our country. In particular, we will announce our demands on every platform in order to ensure the freedom of association, which is the most fundamental and constitutional right of the working class.

At our 17th Ordinary General Assembly in April last year, we set a target of 300 thousand members. According to the current data of our Organization Department, our membership has reached 300 thousand. In other words, in the short time that has passed, we have achieved this goal. But we will not be complacent because we have achieved our goal. We will fight by organizing, by uniting, by drawing our strength from our unity. Wherever there are metal workers condemned to poor working conditions, low wages and insecurity, we will work to unite them under the roof of our union.

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On July 10, we will celebrate the 61st anniversary of our union. Since the day it was founded, the Turkish Metal Union has been struggling to find solutions to Turkey's economic and social problems and to protect the sweat of the workers' brow with the awareness that work is the highest value. It continues its struggle for rights by becoming stronger day by day.

On the occasion of our foundation anniversary, we commemorate with gratitude and appreciation all those who brought us to the Republic, freedom and independence, especially the great leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of our Republic, who founded and kept alive our union, who sweated at the workbenches and always gave great support to our union. On the occasion of the anniversary of the foundation of our union be auspicious for all labourers and our country.