The question is simple: “Who is right?”
The answer is “It’s complicated, depending on the position of the person answering.”
Ahhh, this business of taking sides!
Isn’t it our taking sides that gets in the way of steps to solve our problems?
Ever since a list of employees’ salaries and overtime pay was published in a newspaper last week, the arguments in the country have shown no sign of letting up…
Naturally, taking sides is also a factor in these arguments!
In other words, partisanship or self-interest comes to the fore: UBP supporters say, “The Government is right about overtime, I fully support it,” while CTP supporters say, “The unions are right—they’re cutting people’s salaries! Come on, how can this be allowed?” The other parties say, “We don’t understand these things,” and choose to remain silent!
People working in the private sector say, “Wow! How can anyone earn that much? We’re barely getting by over here,” while those whose overtime is less than their colleagues’ ask the people around them, “Hey, when did you ever work that much overtime?”
Those caught in the middle, the minority who put ‘sound judgment’ first, get angry and shout at those around them, saying things like, “Come on, this state deserves better… Where in the world have you ever seen such a wildly unequal imbalance between the private and public sectors? Even so, it shouldn’t be this much! Sort this out… Hire people where overtime is needed, and cut the payments that are being made unnecessarily… Or come up with other solutions! But don’t do the state a disservice with these arguments…”
Meanwhile, the country’s Finance Minister is making headlines in the Turkish press!
And we can say that after this headline-making news, the Turkish public has now joined the debate…
The minister is quoted in the Turkish press as saying: “Turkey is our IMF, but the days of taking money from Turkey and distributing it to the public sector are over. I will not back down.”
I can almost hear the conversations taking place in cafes in Turkey: “Wow, good for him—he’s taken on all those unions and says he won’t back down.” “This is the kind of person the TRNC needs… Look, he’s standing up for our money!” “Good heavens, were these people taking money from us and distributing it to the public sector?”
By the way, if a poll were held in Turkey right now, I’m sure Mr. Tatar would be the most beloved person from the TRNC after Denktaş.
Leaving all that aside, the issue is actually very simple!
Overtime pay is what an employer pays an employee for working beyond their regular hours.
On that basis, the State, as the employer in our country, SAYS, “I DO NOT WANT to make you work beyond your regular hours!”
The response is, “NO, we want to work.”
Then the State replies, “But, my friend, I HAVE NO MONEY!”
And the response is, “NOT OUR PROBLEM! Go find it!”…
When people react to this clash, the unions say, “The Government doesn’t care about us, so we’re going on STRIKE,” while the Government says, “They’re not seeking a compromise. They go straight to a STRIKE”…
The mutual accusations mean nothing; meanwhile, the public is suffering…
I don’t know how you would make sense of these irrational statements and arguments!
The only thing I can say is this prayer:
“God, protect my sanity and give me patience!”
Hoping to see you on Friday…
Pay attention to your surroundings, keep them clean, and be respectful in traffic!