Historic Raise for Public Workers: 2025 Public Collective Labor Agreements Framework Protocol Signed!

Ankara - The 2025 Public Sector Collective Bargaining Agreements Framework Agreement Protocol, which directly concerns more than 600 thousand public sector workers in Turkey, was signed on August 2, 2025 at a glorious ceremony held at the Ministry of Labor and Social Security after long negotiations. The protocol, which was realized with the consensus of the representatives of the HAK-İŞ and TÜRK-İŞ Confederations and the Public Employer Union, brings significant improvements in the wages of workers, an increase in bonuses and various social rights.

The signing ceremony, which took place under the chairmanship of Vedat Işıkhan, Minister of Labour and Social Security, was attended by Devlet Sert, Chairman of the HAK-İŞ Public Framework Coordination Board and Deputy Chairman; Halil Çukutli, HAK-İŞ Deputy Chairman; Ramazan Ağar, Eyüp Alemdar, İrfan Kabaloğlu, Nazmi Irgat, representatives of the TÜRK-İŞ Confederation; Dr. Şerefettin Güler, Deputy Secretary General of the Public Employers' Union; and the Presidents and executives of public sector unions.

Details of the Protocol: Improvements Provided to Public Workers

The Framework Agreement Protocol for Public Collective Bargaining Agreements for the Year 2025 covers collective bargaining agreements with effective start dates in 2025 and basically includes the following principles:

• Regulation of Base Wage and Seyyan Raise:

  • Wages of workers whose monthly gross naked wages were below 42,000.00 TL on the effective date of collective labor agreements were increased to 42,000.00 TL.
  • This amount will be applied as 1,400.00 TL/day in the daily wage system and 186.67 TL/hour in the hourly wage system.
  • Workers with a monthly gross naked wage of 42.000,00 TL and above were given a diluted increase of 1.200,00 TL/month. TL 40.00/day in the daily wage system and TL 5.33/hour in the hourly wage system.
  • Workers who benefit from the basic wage will also not be eligible for the diluted increase.

• Wage Increases: After workers' wages are brought up to the base wage or a diluted increase, gradual increases will be applied as of the effective date of collective labor agreements:

  • First Year First Six Months: 24% increase.

  • First Year Second Six Months: 1,500.00 TL/month diluted increase (50.00 TL/day, 6.67 TL/hour) followed by an 11% increase. According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), if inflation exceeds 11%, the entire excess will be added to the wage increase for the first six months of the second year.

  • Second Year First Six Months: A 10% increase will be made. If inflation exceeds 10% according to TurkStat data, the entire excess will be added to the wage increase for the second six months of the second year.

  • Second Year Second Six Months: 6% increase will be made. If inflation exceeds 6% according to TurkStat data, the entire excess will be added to the wage as of the first day of the following month.

• Bonus Arrangement: In workplaces where the number of bonus days paid to workers other than the additional payment is less than 60 days, bonus payments will be made for 20 days in the first year and 20 days in the second year of the collective labor agreement, not exceeding 60 days in total.

• Fixed Payments: Fixed payments (birth, death, marriage, clothing allowance, supplementary payment, meal allowance, combined social benefits, service increase and travel allowance, as well as fixed premiums, compensation, etc.) that do not depend on wages will be paid in proportion to the wage increases of collective labor agreements and will be increased as of the date of the wage increase.

• Workplaces with ongoing jurisdictional disputes: The wage increases and social benefits determined by the protocol will be applied to the workers working in these workplaces as advances and will be deducted from the differences of the collective bargaining agreement to be signed.

• Problems Specific to the Workplace/Enterprise: Problems specific to the enterprise or workplace will be resolved by negotiation between the parties to the collective labor agreement.

• Subcontractor Workers Excluded from the Scope of Decree Law No. 696: Work will continue on the legal regulation regarding the employment of subcontractor workers (subcontractors) excluded from the scope of Decree Law No. 696 in public institutions and organizations.

• Personal Rights of Workers Recruited with Decree Law No. 696: Work will continue on legal arrangements for temporary assignment of workers in cases of illness, disability, health and spouse status.

• Additional Pay for the Workers of Special Provincial Administration and Municipal Companies: Work will continue on the necessary legal arrangements for the payment of additional pay to the workers working in Special Provincial Administration Companies and Municipal Companies in accordance with Law No. 6772.

• Other Issues:

  • Workers subject to collective bargaining agreements with an effective date of March 1, 2025 will receive an increase of 3.68% due to the inflation difference of the previous period after the base wage or diluted wage increase and the wage increase for the first six months of the first year. The same procedures and principles will be applied to contracts with an effective date of February 1, April 1 and May 1, 2025. This increase will also be reflected in lump sum payments.
  • Employees working in the institutions specified in the annexed list will receive an additional premium of 7%, and employees working in other institutions will receive an additional premium of 3%. This premium will be added to the existing premium based on the premium received by all workers.
  • Wages in workplaces where wages remain low despite the flat wage regulation will be improved by making the necessary arrangements with the starting wage.

• Time for Payment of Differences: Differences in wages and all other payments that will occur between the effective date of collective labor agreements and the signature date will be paid without delay, taking into account the budgetary possibilities of the institutions.Declarations by Minister Işıkhan and HAK-İŞ Representative Sert

Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan, who made statements after the signing ceremony, said, "We have come to the end of the Public Framework Protocol negotiations concerning 600 thousand public workers and we have just signed the protocol. We have tried to carry out the process successfully within 7 months. We have tried to carry out the process successfully with our unions in social dialogue. In our contract process, which has spread over a long period of time, we have finally reached a certain situation and we have signed our contract together with the parties of HAK-İŞ and TÜRK-İŞ. I wish our protocol to be beneficial, especially for our 600 thousand public workers."

HAK-İŞ Public Coordination Board Chairman and Vice President Devlet Sert stated that the protocol covering 600 thousand public workers was concluded with an agreement as a result of long negotiations. Sert said, "As HAK-İŞ, we are always aware of our responsibilities. We have continued our work today as in the past with an understanding that attaches importance to social dialog. Of course, serious problems and difficulties may arise in collective bargaining negotiations. But we have never been in the understanding of a party leaving the table." Stating that the agreement was concluded with an agreement despite different perceptions that wanted to undermine the process, Sert said, "We have come this far by saying that the responsibility of 600 thousand workers in the public sector, including not only the members of our HAK-İŞ Confederation but also the members of the Türk-İş Confederation, is on our shoulders." State Sert thanked President Mahmut Arslan, Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan, the President of the Republic, trade unions and the Türk-İş delegation and wished that the protocol would be beneficial for the working life.

With this historic protocol, a new era opened for public workers and an important step was taken in working life.