ASO President Nurettin Özdebir: "You Can't Leave People Starving!"

Ankara Chamber of Industry President Nurettin Özdebir talked about the second minimum wage hike brought on by the decrease in purchasing power and said, "You cannot starve people. Even if the state does not increase it, businesses will try to increase it somehow. Maybe he will employ 2 people instead of 3 people, and he will pay the wages of 1 person to the others."

Answering questions at the meeting held in Afyonkarahisar, ASO President Nurettin Özdebir talked about the fact that the minimum wage had a record meltdown in the face of increasing inflation and that the minimum wage amount should be revised due to the decrease in purchasing power in the face of increasing prices.

Özdebir said, "Legal arrangements can be made in this regard. I think businesses will make up for it even if there is no legal fix. According to the financial structure and profitability of the enterprises, they will work at whatever rate they can withstand. It will be higher in companies with high profitability, and companies with low profitability will try as much as they can.

"You cannot starve people. Even if the state does not increase it, businesses will try to increase it somehow. Maybe he will employ 2 people instead of 3 people, and he will give the wages of 1 person to the others. Companies have to meet the needs of the people they employ as much as they can."

Expressing that Turkey's export program is working well and noting that the production programs of many manufacturers are full for the next few months, Özdebir said, "If these enterprises continue their exports, they will definitely look after their employees in the same way, but if those who only do business in the domestic market experience a contraction, they may also experience job losses. Firms may have to retreat a little in order to survive, to continue their lives, and to be able to continue employment when jobs are opened. I hope such things do not happen."