These civil servants cannot get promoted despite the legislation

There is an exam. There is a regulation. There is legislation. But there is no implementation. Although the “Regulation on Promotion and Title Change Principles for Personnel Working in the Security Organization Other Than Security Services,” published on 30.09.2017, clearly states the opportunities for career development and advancement, it has not reached the implementation phase. We are talking about thousands of civilian civil servants. Among them are police officers who became civilian staff due to spousal or health reasons, as well as lawyers, psychologists, and computer operators. The path to rising to the positions of chief, director, or even department head is being blocked. I will include the letter that the civilian civil servants sent to us. But there is a point they mention in the letter that summarizes everything. "There is an exam. There is a regulation, there is legislation. But it is not applied. For this reason, there is no promotion from within our ranks. They prefer external appointments. For example, do civilian civil servants need to reach Nirvana to be promoted in the police organization?" they say. Actually, these words describe the whole problem, but let's take a look at the letter they sent:

"The purpose of the Civil Servants Law No. 657 is to ensure the service conditions, qualifications, appointments, placements, advancement, and promotion of civil servants, and to provide them with the opportunity to advance to the highest degrees by classifying them according to the qualifications and professions required by their duties, and to ensure that the merit system is applied with equal opportunities. While the purpose is noble, it is necessary to see whether these concepts can be effectively implemented in the Security Organization.

For instance, while police officers, commissioners, security supervisors, and police chiefs subject to the Security Services Class hold managerial positions in the Department of Construction and Real Estate, the Support Services Branch Directorate, the Information Technologies and Communications Branch Directorate, the Cyber Crimes Combat Branch Directorate, and many other units, civilian civil servants who have given years to the organization are deprived of this right. Although career development and advancement opportunities are clearly stated for civilian civil servants working in positions such as doctors, nurses, psychologists, lawyers, engineers, teachers, technicians, computer operators, drivers, and child development specialists, both by Civil Servants Law No. 657 and the “Regulation on Promotion and Title Change Principles for Personnel Working in the Security Organization Other Than Security Services” published on 30.09.2017, unfortunately, the implementation phase has not been reached. While any engineer, doctor, teacher, computer operator, switchboard operator, technician, etc. working in other institutions can transition to Director, Specialist, Analyst, and Chief positions through exams based on their education level and merit, and those at the same level can transition without exams, civilian civil servants working in security services unfortunately cannot benefit from this right.

THE FOIE GRAS STORY EXPLAINS IT CLEARLY

Let's come to the Technician Assistants. While the rights of titles like Technician Assistant should be within the Technical Services Class and they should be planning for career titles such as chief, specialist, or branch manager in promotion exams, they cannot even dream of these positions because they are in the Auxiliary Services Class. Let's explain the situation more clearly with a small story. Two friends, one quite wealthy and the other middle-class, are shopping at a market. The wealthy one is looking for foie gras in the breakfast section. Naturally, his friend who doesn't know what foie gras is asks for its meaning. The other, with all sincerity, says that foie gras is actually goose liver and at the same time wants to know if he likes it for breakfast. His friend, in a state of confusion, replies, “I'll skip the foie gras; we could only make it as far as salami.” Since Technician Assistants are utilized for tasks like dishwashing, tea service, and cleaning within the organization, let alone director, specialist, or chief titles, they would be ready to become a computer operator yesterday if they could find one.

EXTERNAL RECRUITMENT CREATES RESENTMENT

Civil servants who have been pursuing master's and doctoral degrees for about twelve years and have graduated from universities are being evaluated far below their capabilities within the institution. While there are hundreds of employees who possess these qualifications, external recruitment is being carried out instead of utilizing internal resources, which both creates resentment among those working in the institution and damages their sense of belonging. Although promotion and title change exams have been opened in recent years due to pressure from unions, this is not enough. If the purpose of the Civil Servants Law is merit, then here is personnel specialized in every branch at your disposal. There is no obstacle to appointing those with master's degrees directly, and those without, to specialist, chief, or director positions through exams. Making this arrangement as soon as possible is essential for both the civil servant's sense of belonging and workplace peace."