Türkiye Kamu-Sen Demands Supplementary Raise and Welfare Share in Front of Parliament

ANKARA – Türkiye Kamu-Sen (Turkish Public Workers' Union) staged a large-scale protest in front of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) ahead of the 2026 budget discussions. The union vehemently rejected the proposed wage increase of %11 + %7 for civil servants and retirees, demanding an immediate supplementary raise and a "welfare share" to offset soaring inflation and compensate for lost purchasing power.

The demonstration, led by General Chairman Önder Kahveci, saw the participation of union heads, branch managers, and thousands of public workers chanting, "We demand justice! We demand welfare! We demand a supplementary raise!"

"Budget Excludes Hard Work and Justice"

In his address at the TBMM, Chairman Kahveci criticized the draft 2026 budget for ignoring public employees and retirees, particularly given the recent spike in inflation:

“The 2026 budget has no place for the civil servant, no place for the retiree, no place for hard work. What exists is an injustice hidden behind figures, targets, and dreams. The projected %11 + %7 salary hike for 2026 is not enough to put out the fire, it only fuels it. These figures work for inflation, taxes, and the high cost of living, not for civil servants!”

Kahveci pointed out that the Medium-Term Program (OVP) forecasts a cumulative development (growth + inflation) of approximately %21 for 2026, making the proposed 18% nominal raise fundamentally unfair and an official declaration that the purchasing power of public employees will decline.

Five Critical Demands to the Government and Parliament

Chairman Kahveci outlined the union’s non-negotiable demands that must be addressed before the budget is finalized:

1. Supplementary Raise and Welfare Share: Lost purchasing power must be compensated, and a welfare share reflecting economic growth must be added to salaries.

2. Tax Fairness: Income tax rates for wage earners must be fixed at 15%, and income brackets should be updated to reflect current economic realities.

3. 3600 Supplementary Indicator: The promise to grant 3600 supplementary indicator to all civil servants who reach the first degree must be fulfilled immediately.

4. Auxiliary Services Personnel Status: Employees in the Auxiliary Services Class must be transferred to the General Administrative Services Class without delay, a matter of justice rather than budget burden.

5. Retiree Payment: Additional supplementary payments must be provided to civil service retirees to prevent them from living near the poverty line.

Call for a Real Collective Bargaining System

Kahveci also strongly criticized the current collective bargaining system, arguing that Law No. 4688 is fundamentally broken: "The Collective Bargaining table has turned into a spectacle where the public employer dictates terms and the voice of the civil servant is suppressed. The Arbitration Board has institutionalized the practice of merely rubber-stamping pre-determined decisions."

Kahveci concluded with a firm commitment to the fight: "We will not take a single step back until our demands are met. We will either get our rights, or we will not retreat. Long live our fight for rights, Long live Türkiye Kamu-Sen!"