KESK Rejected the Government's Final Offer: "It is an Imposition of Misery, Our Response is a General Strike!"

ANKARA - The Confederation of Public Employees' Trade Unions (KESK) reacted sharply to the third and "final" offer presented by the public employer's delegation in the 8th Term Public Collective Agreement negotiations. The union rejected the revised offer of 11+7 percent for 2026 and 4+4 percent for 2027, describing it as an "imposition of misery" and called on all public laborers for a general strike.

"A Proposal Not Unlike a Laugh"

In a written statement released by the Executive Board of the KESK, the government's new proposal was harshly criticized for bringing only a one-point increase to the first proposal. "As expected, this offer is once again an imposition of misery. The government continues to make fun of public laborers and pensioners with this offer, which does not even correspond to a bagel a day. These figures do not even reach 17% in total for 2026."

KESK argued that the government has become detached from the bazaar, the market and the struggle of working people for a decent life, and emphasized that the proposal is not only an economic attack, but also an attack on the right to a decent life. In the statement, it was stated that the government has been dumping the crises it has created for 23 years on the backs of laborers and with this proposal, it is trying to condemn public laborers to poverty and precariousness.

Basic Demands Ignored

Underlining that the proposal does not offer solutions to the basic problems of public laborers, KESK stated that the government is turning a deaf ear to concrete demands. These demands include rent assistance, the right to free kindergarten, 3600 additional indicators and bonuses. The union also noted that structural problems such as interviews and tax injustice persist.

"Preparing for a General Strike is the Only Answer"

KESK stated that the only solution to this situation is organized resistance and reiterated its call for "the only response to this attack will be to use our power from production in an organized way, that is, to prepare for a general strike!". The confederation also called on the authorized unions not to take the process to the Arbitration Committee, saying that this would mean "becoming a partner in the misery table scheme."

Stating that they came together with 7 Public Confederations and said their common words, KESK signaled that the struggle will grow even more by saying "Today we are hundreds of thousands, tomorrow we will be millions."