Strong Reaction from United Public-Is to the Government and the President: March Prevented, "Our Struggle Will Not Fit in Blockades!"

ANKARA - The United Public-Is Confederation announced that the march organized by civil servants and civil servant retirees to convey their demands to the President was prevented by a police blockade. After the tension in front of the Confederation Headquarters, President Orhan Yıldırım made a press statement in front of the police cordon and harshly criticized the government's attitude in the collective bargaining process and stated that their struggle will continue. After the statement, union members staged a one-hour sit-in.

The Collective Bargaining Process and Disappointment

Starting his statement by saying "We will not let go of our rights!", Yıldırım argued that during the collective bargaining process, which concerns more than 4 million public servants, 2.5 million civil servant pensioners and approximately 25 million citizens including their families, the government left public employees alone with the economic crisis of its own making. He said that in July and August, forest fires, arrested opposition mayors, the dollar and euro exchange rate and food prices increased continuously, while the salaries discussed at the collective bargaining table did not increase at all.

Stating that they did not accept the latest offer, which he claimed made a mockery of civil servants and civil servant retirees, Yıldırım reminded that they staged a nationwide work stoppage with all confederations on August 18.

Systemic Criticisms and Accusations against the Government

Yıldırım emphasized that the current collective bargaining system is far from justice and said, "The absence of the right to strike in the collective bargaining law and the fact that the majority of the 11-member Arbitration Committee is determined by the President makes it impossible to have a fair arbitration at the table."

Claiming that the Ministry of Labor and Social Security only acted as an intermediary for the Ministry of Finance during the negotiations, which have been going on for about a month, and that it had no authority or initiative on the raise, Yıldırım said, "For this reason, after the second offer, we directly invited the Minister of Finance, who is the address that actually determines these raise rates, to the table." He criticized the Minister of Finance for staying in the background and making the final offer instead of coming to the table.

Yildirim reminded that 1 trillion 111 billion lira was paid from the budget to interest in the first 6 months of 2025 and said, "It is clearly seen that the government's preference is not for the laborers but for the interest lobby."

The President Has the Final Say

Stating that the collective bargaining process has reached the Arbitration Committee stage, Yıldırım said that since the majority of the committee is appointed by the President, the real decisive authority after this stage is the President. Yıldırım stated that the final word on salaries and benefits is the President, who appoints the majority of the Arbitration Committee.

Calling on the President, Yıldırım said, "Either he will make a decision that condemns 25 million civil servants, civil servant pensioners and their families to hunger and poverty, or he will give his citizens some breathing space by ordering regulations to ensure human living conditions."

Yildirim stated that since they believe that the President has not been fully informed about the situation, they would like to meet with him personally, not with ministers by proxy or the Arbitration Committee. He concluded by saying, "If there is no call from the President by tomorrow evening, we will make a public statement in front of the Presidential building to be the voice of the rights of 25 million people."