Critical Day for Civil Servant Salary Increase: Second Offer Meeting to be held in the Evening, Eyes on the Government

ANKARA - The 8th Term Public Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations, which will determine the fate of approximately 6 million public employees and 2.5 million retired civil servants, have reached a critical stage. Following the government's first offer, which drew the reaction of millions of civil servants and pensioners, a second and more decisive meeting will be held today at 18.30 at the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.

This evening's meeting will take place in the shadow of large-scale protests organized by public sector unions across Turkey. Memur-Sen, KESK, Türkiye Kamu-Sen and other confederations had organized protests in squares, calling the government's first offer a 'misery raise'. The unions had loudly expressed that this offer, which was far below inflation and would further reduce the purchasing power of civil servants, was unacceptable.

Government's First Proposal Draws Reaction

As it will be recalled, the public employer's committee had proposed a 10% + 6% raise for 2026 and a 4% + 4% raise for 2027 in its first offer. This offer was considered by the unions as "unworthy of the seriousness of the table" and "ignoring the sweat and sweat of the civil servants". Especially in the recent period, rising rent prices, high inflation and the cost of living have made it difficult for civil servants and pensioners to live a decent life, and this proposal has further increased tensions.

Unions' Demands Will Come to the Table

At tonight's meeting, the government is expected to present a new proposal. The unions state that not only percentage increases should not be enough, but also important demands such as rent allowance, diluted increase, welfare share and 3600 additional indicators should be put on the table. Public employees and pensioners expect an increase in their real income against the cost of living and permanent solutions to their livelihood problems.

The outcome of this meeting will directly affect the financial rights of approximately 6 million people for the next two years. Whether a new proposal will emerge from the meeting and how it will be received by the unions are among the questions that the public is eagerly awaiting.