600,000 public workers’ wage negotiations have not produced a result; workers are calling for an increase in wages for the years 2025 and 2026. Public sector workers are eagerly awaiting a decision on their salary increases due to be made at a bargaining table where no agreement was reached. While yesterday, TÜHİS made an offer, today they rejected it.
According to the negotiations held so far, it is mentioned that for the first six months there would be a 24% increase, the following six months a 11% increase, the third six month period a 10% increase, and the fourth six-month period a 6% increase. However, if inflation on those periods surpasses these percentages, the additional wage increase will be added to that percentage. Thus, a basic first six month salary offer of 24% became a 7% higher 24%, while a basic second six month salary offer increased by 1 with a 10.57%, turning into 11%; a basic third six month salary offer of 7%, grew by 3, raising it up to 10%; and finally, the 5% sixth month wage, rose by 1 turn becoming 6%. Therefore, for the first six months, there will be a 24% increase, for the following second six-month period, a 11%, third six-month period, a 10%, fourth, and fifth six-month periods an 6% wage increase. TÜRK-İŞ General Chairman Ergün Atalay announced that if the requested offers were not made in the negotiations, they would initiate a strike. The minister has highlighted the latest point in talks. He said “there is no problem at 24”. For the second one, it is 16.57 but TÜHIS turned down the meeting. According to Ramazan Bey’s statement, the minister was gone within a half an hour, and he rejected the meeting as well.
HAK-İŞ stated that they have roughly 350,000 partners in their union, and their fellow around 250,000. HAK-İŞ President said “I don’t separate worker from the union” and that they are focusing on transferring each other’s problems onto one another. The workers said that if employees continue to be paid the minimum wage, they cannot achieve peace in this country. I have never asked for too much so far, he added, saying “you’re asking for a bureaucrat who earns more than the worker.” The workers replied by saying” you are just a part of us, but we are not a part of you”. He also said “in two years nothing will be left”, referring to the current government. The workers say that if they increase their wages based on what they’re asking for today, Turkey cannot achieve economic stability. They added, saying that the government doesn’t even believe in the state’s credibility in markets and markets globally. They criticize by saying “if you don’t understand this, we do!” TÜİK numbers should be taken into account for other workers as well as these employees working for defense industry machines, they say. The confederation’s general chairman says that he will carry out his duty when the time comes and that there are some partners within their union who have given up on their authority in the negotiations.
“We obey the public’s word when it comes to giving a nod,” said the chairman of TÜRK-İŞ, adding “but we will continue with our unions when the duties come due”. Public officials are urged by workers not to use the public’s trust as a justification “if you don’t believe in them, we shouldn’t either”. When the General Secretary made statements during his G20 conference, chairman Ergün Atalay stated that he was present during the entire conference. The HAK-İŞ president has also spoken at the conference; however, there is a lack of clarity on whether or not the minister attended. The public servants tell their employers “listen to your workers”. There are no guarantees given in today’s written resolutions or decisions made based on those resolutions, they say. They emphasize on an economic situation in Turkey as it currently stands. “We are Switzerland giving an explanation now,” said the public workers “Turkey is ranked among the second millioner dollars now.”
He said he was not pleased with this statement and that it would have been better if it was higher. He stressed that while they were trying to make everyone aware what employees’ situation in Turkey was, they didn’t go too far with their demands “we wouldn’t want our workers to be poor”. All of the authorities know about this well. However, he added, “I own this house.” He also declared his candidacy for public office with his statement “from the streets I entered and I will not become a patron from here”. The public servants supported his statement by saying that their words should be enough to move mountains and they will continue until it comes true. The workers are demanding an urgent response to Prime Minister’s TV statements, stating that they have no choice but to wait for the decision.
Public servants are also demanding that the president calls his Labor Minister on television shortly. Türk-iş stands by Atalay’s words and tells him that he should enforce these demands as well if he wants the strike to end peacefully. Atalay says that he is giving orders for the demand of public servants. He also said,” You’re our home. Turkey’s workers must be there with us too, he adds “. The workers call upon President Erdoğan and Labor Minister Mehmet Simsek to take action with Prime Minister’s words on television. They added with a warning “Allah will see all of this”, the workers say. Details are as follows…
