Critical Move by Memur-Sen for Collective Bargaining Process: Strategy Determination Meeting with Provincial Representatives

ANKARA - As the negotiations for the 8th Term Collective Bargaining Agreement, which will determine the financial and social rights of public employees, continue, the Confederation of Civil Servants held an online meeting with provincial representatives to determine its strategy for the process. At the meeting chaired by Ali Yalçın, President of Memur-Sen, the latest situation at the collective bargaining table was discussed and the expectations from the Public Employer Committee were clearly expressed. Yalçın emphasized that the key point of the process is the offer to be presented by the Public Employer and stated that the steps to be taken will be determined jointly with the participation of the entire organization.

"The responsibility now lies with the public employer"

Speaking at the meeting, President Ali Yalçın underlined the critical importance of the current process. He stated that the collective bargaining negotiations, which are compressed into a short period of time in accordance with the Law No. 4688, will be shaped by the proportional increase proposal to be presented by the Public Employer. Yalçın said, "We will continue to maintain the culture of consultation that we have maintained from the past to the present as always. With our more than 1 million organized power, we will continue to act in line with the demands from the field."

Yalcin drew attention to the large gap between the Central Bank's inflation targets and actual inflation, and reminded once again how this difference has eroded the purchasing power of public servants in the past. Emphasizing that the offer submitted by Memur-Sen is intended to compensate for past losses, Yalçın said, "From now on, the responsibility lies with the Public Employer. We will reveal our attitude according to the offer that will come from there," he said, calling on the government to present an offer that is fair and in line with market realities.

Scenarios to be Evaluated Until Proposal Arrives

The provincial representatives who took the floor at the meeting expressed the view that the offer of the Public Employer, as well as the specific gains in the service branches, are at least as important as the proportional increase. Ali Yalçın stated that all possible scenarios will be evaluated after the offer and that the opinions of provincial representatives are of great importance in this process. He said that by staying in constant communication with the organization, a planning was made to achieve the best result on behalf of public officials.

This meeting shows that Memur-Sen not only brought its demands to the collective bargaining table, but also took the pulse of its members and formulated a common action plan. Public servants are now turning their eyes to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, waiting for the proposal to come from the table and the attitude that Memur-Sen will take against this proposal. The collective bargaining process is expected to become more active in the coming days.