25.12.2015 Kayseri
Speaking at the KAYSO 2015 Industry Night, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that increasing minimum wage to 1,300 TRY would collective cost companies 26 billion TRY and that this would cause them to lose their competitive power if these costs are put on the employer.
The Kayseri Chamber of Industry’s KAYSO 2015 Industry Night was held in
Kayseri with the attendances of TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Economy
Minister Mustafa Elitaş as well as many prominent guests from the fields of
politics and business.
Speaking at the meeting, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated
that the matter of wages are confusing for industrialists and said, “99.2% of
our establishments are SMEs. Their profit before taxes is 40 billion TRY. I’m
not mentioning taxes yet. If we were to shoulder the burden of this new minimum
wage that would cost us 26 billion TRY. SMEs would lose their competitive
power. We want to distribute this burden. Don’t load it all on us, we don’t
have the power to carry it. Let’s all shoulder it together. It would please us
if our employees’ wages increased to 1,300 TRY. It would give them more to
spend.”
The cost of an employee for us is 1,500 TRY, employees receive 1,000
TRY. According to the OECD data, we are the first in the world in terms of tax
burdens with 71%. We want our tax burdens to match the countries we are
competing against. We wish we could give even more than 1,300 TRY.”
- Success of the private sector
The TOBB President pointed out that Turkey’s region is undergoing great
troubles. Stating that there is economic crises to the west and war to the
north and south, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We’ve had 4 elections all within 2
years, see what the merchants of Kayseri have succeeded in achieving in that
time. Kayseri’s employment stood at the 40s; Kayseri increased its exports by
41% while the national average stayed at 30%; number of establishments
increased by 34% nationally while Kayseri boasts of 40%; the number of
companies from Kayseri in the list of 500 largest companies in Turkey increased
from 10 to 15. These industrialists deserve medals for their efforts.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu also extended his thanks to the representatives of the
political, bureaucratic and business community. He said that the appointment of
Kayseri TBMM Representative Mustafa Elitaş as Ministry of Economy is an
important opportunity for Turkey, “The Prime Minister chose to put someone from
Kayseri in charge of the economy. This was the best choice. Mr. Elitaş is
intimately familiar with the economy and has been active in it.”
- Economy Minister Elitaş
Economy Minister Mustafa Elitaş stated that it has been an uphill battle
for Turkey since its foundation and said, “It was difficult to manage unscathed
and Turkey has been beset by efforts to destabilize it.”
Minister Elitaş stated that an economy summit would be held in Kayseri
with the attendance of approximately 500 business people from Azerbaijan and
Georgia.
- Other speakers
Former Minister for Energy and Natural Resources and AK Party Kayseri
TBMM Representative Taner Yıldız and AK Party Vice President and Kayseri TBMM
Representative Mehmet Özhaseki also spoke during the event.