Strong Reaction from KESK to the Arbitration Board Decision: "Collusion Game" Ends, Civil Servants and Pensioners Lose

ANKARA - The Confederation of Public Employees' Trade Unions (KESK) issued a harsh press statement on the 8th Term Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations and the decision of the Arbitration Board for Public Officials. KESK described the process as a "game of collusion" and accused other unions of being partners in this picture. According to KESK, the decision of the Arbitration Council has once again condemned millions of public laborers and pensioners to poverty and misery.

"Referee biased, game rigged" Criticism

KESK stated that the process was completed with the publication of the Arbitration Board's decision in today's Official Gazette, emphasizing that what was feared had happened and the process was wasted in a "collusion". "The arrival of Thursday was clear from Wednesday," the statement said, claiming that the public employer, the unionism of consent and the Arbitration Board have formed an alliance. KESK said that the Arbitration Board, 7 out of 11 members of which are directly or indirectly appointed by the President, has been the notary public of the government with its decisions so far.

"Showing off" to other unions Blame

KESK stated that they called on the confederations authorized to sit at the collective bargaining table to "stand upright for once, don't resort to the Arbitrator, let's take the process to the Parliament" throughout the process, but this call was not heeded. He argued that the statements made by Memur-Sen and Türkiye Kamu-Sen, especially after the announcement of the decision of the Arbitration Board, that "we are withdrawing from the Arbitration" were "all show".

The statement said that the reasoning of the authorized confederations that "we were forced to go to the Arbitration Council in order to prevent the 58 clauses we agreed on from being left in the middle" was refuted by the decision published in the Official Gazette. KESK stated that these items were already included in the minutes of the meeting and that there was no need to go to the Arbitration Council. It was also claimed that most of these 58 articles were already copied and pasted from previous contracts, and that minor improvements were aimed at senior civil servants.

Call: "So much for the trade unionism!"

KESK said that the administrations of Memur-Sen and Türkiye Kamu-Sen are the most responsible for the current situation. The confederation described the current system as a "freak" and argued that this system and "unionism by consent" must come to an end.

Calling on all public laborers, KESK invited them to "distance themselves from those who play the role of Trojan Horse in the ranks of labor". It called on all public laborers struggling for rights and freedoms to unite in KESK member unions. KESK added that they are determined to continue their struggle for the rights of all public laborers.