Historic Agreement at the Ministry of National Education: 6th Term Collective Labor Agreement Signed

ANKARA - The 6th Term Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which concerns thousands of workers at the Ministry of National Education (MoNE), was signed at a ceremony on August 15, 2025 and entered into force. The agreement reached between the Turkish Heavy Industry and Service Sector Public Employers' Union (TÜHİS) and the Koop-İş Union affiliated to TÜRK-İŞ once again demonstrated the importance of social dialogue by securing the rights of employees in difficult economic conditions.

High Level Participation in the Signing Ceremony

The signing ceremony, which took place at TÜHİS Headquarters in Ankara, was attended by senior representatives from both sides of the CBA table. On behalf of Koop-İş Union, TÜRK-İŞ Vice President and President Eyüp Alemdar, General Secretary Metin Güney and General Organization and Training Secretary Murat Türkekul were present. TÜHİS General Secretary Adnan Çiçek and Özkan Avcı, Head of the Department of Workplace Health and Safety at the Ministry of National Education, were present to represent the employer delegation.

A large number of representatives from the union and employer delegations, branch presidents and workplace representatives also took part in the ceremony, showing their support for the agreement. This broad participation symbolized that the agreement was not only between the union and the employer, but was also shaped directly by the will of the employees.

Alemdar: "The Winning of Labor, Sweat and Determination"

Delivering a speech at the signing ceremony, Koop-İş Union President Eyüp Alemdar stated that they are proud to sign a contract that will satisfy the members after a long period of intensive negotiations. Alemdar said that in today's difficult economic conditions, they set as their main goal to alleviate the livelihood difficulties of the members and to ensure that the increase rates are reflected in the salaries as soon as possible.

Emphasizing that they did not give up on social dialogue despite the economic fluctuations in the post-pandemic period and the delay of the Framework Protocol for Public Sector Collective Bargaining Agreements, Alemdar said, "The contract we signed today is not just a gain of numbers; it is a gain of labor, sweat and union determination." Wishing the contract to be beneficial to all parties, Alemdar stated that the strong social dialog mechanism established with TÜHİS and MEB will continue in the coming period.

MEB and TÜHİS Send Messages of Thanks and Support

Taking the floor on behalf of the Ministry of National Education, Özkan Avcı, Head of the Department of Workplace Health and Safety, pointed out that the Ministry of National Education is one of the largest institutions in the country and stated that the negotiation process with Koop-İş Union was fruitful. Avcı emphasized the great effort and contribution of Koop-İş President Eyüp Alemdar and all union executives in the completion of this successful process and thanked them.

TÜHİS General Secretary Adnan Çiçek thanked the union officials, explaining that the signed contract was made at a rate above the current inflation rate. Çiçek stated that in order for the increases to make sense, inflation must be fought and increasing purchasing power is the main issue. These remarks showed that the union and employer side share a common concern for protecting the economic well-being of workers.

The 6th Term Collective Labor Agreement, which was signed, provided important gains for the union members in the Ministry of National Education and proved once again that compromise is possible at the collective bargaining table. The agreement was wished to be beneficial for all employees, the union and related institutions.