Harsh Outburst by Memur-Sen at the 8th Term Collective Bargaining Table

Ankara - Negotiations for the 8th Term Collective Bargaining Agreement, which closely concerns public servants and their pensioners, started at the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. In the first session of the negotiations, the authorized confederation Memur-Sen presented its remarkable demands for public servants, such as 10 thousand TL base salary increase, 25 percent raise and 23,400 TL bonus on religious holidays. The meeting was attended by the President of Memur-Sen Ali Yalçın, Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan, Deputy Ministers, Heads of Service Branches and bureaucrats.

Memur-Sen Condolences to Fire Victims, Criticizes Government for "Lawlessness"

Memur-Sen President Ali Yalçın started his speech by expressing his condolences to those who lost their lives in the forest fires and thanked the employees who sacrificially fought to extinguish the fires. Yalçın said that it was "valuable" that the collective bargaining negotiations started 4 days earlier than planned and added, "I believe that both the Employer side and the Authorized Confederations and unions will make good use of this opportunity." However, an indirect criticism of this early start as a violation of the legal process has already been voiced by other unions such as KESK.

"No Point in Continuing on the Dead End Road": Emphasis on Inflation and Income Inequality

Yalçın underlined that we are going through a period in which the bill of monetary expansion and inflationary environment is being passed on to the laborers. He stated that the tightening policies, austerity measures and wage suppression targets are reflected in the payrolls of public servants and the salaries of civil servant retirees. Yalçın said, "While income inequality is increasing, we all see that the middle income group is melting, salaries and wages are squeezed between hunger and poverty, and wealth transfer is accelerating." Yalçın drew attention to the big difference between the announced inflation data and the inflation felt by households. Emphasizing that rent, electricity, water and natural gas prices have eroded the income of fixed wage earners, Yalçın stated that they do not find it right that high interest rates have become the norm to fight inflation and that there is no point in continuing this "dead-end path any longer."

"The Increases Only Lasted 2-3 Months": Request for Compensation of Past Losses

Ali Yalçın stated that although the gross domestic product per capita is at an all-time high, the number of civil servants receiving their share of growth and national product has declined. Yalçın said, "Although everyone knows that an increase equal to inflation is not a raise, our civil servants have not been given an increase even equal to inflation." Yalçın reminded that the determinations made in the collective agreements two years ago were justified and that the inflation expectations of the employer and the Arbitration Board did not match and that there was an inflation difference in every period. Yalçın emphasized that the losses of the past period should be compensated, saying, "The increases given could only last 2 or 3 months against inflation."

Stating that income tax injustice is also an important agenda item, Yalçın said, "The wage at the end of the year is less than the wage at the beginning of the year, both in nominal terms and in real terms," arguing that the current tax system suppresses wages and that a policy in which even the minimum wage falls into the 20% bracket is unsustainable.

Comprehensive Demands of Memur-Sen for the 8th Term CBA

Memur-Sen President Ali Yalçın announced the 8th Term Collective Bargaining Proposal with the following articles:

• For the Year 2026:

  • In the first 6 months 10,000 TL Base Salary Increase + 10% Welfare Share + 25% proportional increase.

  • Second 6 months 20% proportional increase.

• For the Year 2027:

  • In the first 6 months 7,500 TL Base Salary Increase + 20% proportional increase.

  • Second 6 months 15% proportional increase.

Yalçın also emphasized the value of the declaration of 2025 as the "Year of the Family" by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and stated that they have prepared comprehensive proposals to strengthen the family institution:

• Increase the symbolic spousal allowance to 11,700 TL.

• Increase the child allowance, which is a comical figure, to 8,775 TL for those with 3 or more children.

• Increase paid maternity leave from 16 to 60 weeks.

• Marriage assistance.

• Providing free daycare services or daycare subsidies in cases where they are not available.

• Implementation of family-friendly tax policies.

Other important demands include:

• Giving 23,400 TL Bonus to civil servants, who are the only segment without bonus, on religious holidays.

• 3. To ensure that the personnel who could not benefit from the additional 1 degree gained in the Collective Agreement also benefit from it.

• Giving rental assistance.

• The abolition of the Auxiliary Services Class (AHS) and its transfer to Technical Services or General Administrative Services.

• Improving the financial rights of many personnel such as engineers, managers, university department heads, specialists and chiefs.

• Removal of severance pay limitations.

• Payment of overtime wages in a way that compensates for the sweat of the brow.

• Fixing income tax at 15%.

• Giving clothing allowance.

• Amnesty for disciplinary penalties under certain conditions.

• Improvements for disabled and retired public servants.

• 1. Promise of the political will and the follow-up of Memur-Sen on the issue of 3600 additional indicators for the rank and file to be realized before the end of this year.

• Inclusion of the cyanian payment in both the pension and bonus calculation.

Memur-Sen stated that they have a total of 956 proposals in general and service branches, and that these proposals are "of a nature that will prioritize human development and fully compensate the sweat of the brow". Yalçın called on the government, saying, "Our state is big enough to meet our offers, generous enough to compensate for losses and just enough to deliver the right."

Minister Işıkhan: "Important Steps Taken, New Gains on the Way"

In his speech at the meeting, Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan thanked the union leaders for acting with the principles of compromise and social dialogue. Emphasizing that many gains have been achieved for public servants through collective agreements and various legal regulations in the past, Işıkhan stated that the collective agreement bonus, which is currently paid four times a year, will be paid monthly.

He noted that improvements were made in the salaries of many public employees such as technical services and health services class personnel, lawyers, managers and deputy managers, chiefs, the preparation allowance for the academic year, which was 1400 liras in 2023, was increased to 5 thousand 265 liras, and the education and training allowance of academic staff was doubled.

Minister Işıkhan stated that important steps such as the abolition of the headscarf ban in the public sector, the staffing of contracted personnel, and the staffing of workers working in subcontractor status in the public sector have been successfully resolved. Referring to the 2025 unionization rates, Işıkhan stated that the number of unionized public servants reached 2.3 million and the unionization rate was 76.88% and that they were pleased with this situation. "In this year's meeting, we will witness various achievements for our public employees and citizens who retired from the public sector."

Işıkhan stated that the improvements in Law No. 4688 were made during his government's term and that amendments will continue to be made if needed, and emphasized that the social dialogue mechanism will continue to function. At the end of his speech, he reiterated that they will continue to be the voice of labor and laborers under the leadership of the President with the vision of the Turkish Century.

The collective bargaining negotiations are expected to continue in the coming days and the search for a compromise between the parties is expected to continue.