Minister Işıkhan announces: New developments in wage negotiations with public workers
Minister Vedat Işıkhan stated, "We have been holding meetings with our unions for the collective bargaining framework protocol for public workers since February 2025. Throughout this process, we have endeavored to maintain strong social dialogue by staying in communication with the unions at every stage of the negotiations. Proposals were submitted by the unions during the process, and numerous offers were conveyed to the unions through consultations held by TÜHİS, the public employer union representing the government."
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Minister Vedat Işıkhan made a statement regarding the wage negotiations for public workers.
Key points from Minister Işıkhan's statement are as follows:
The initial offer made on July 18 of 24% for the first 6 months and the realized inflation rate for the second 6 months was unfortunately pulled in different directions. The 24% offer for the first 6 months corresponds to an increase above inflation.
Our clauses regarding realized inflation were included in the proposal as a requirement of our policy of not allowing our employees to be crushed by inflation. For the second 6 months, the inflation rate for the July-December period was proposed.
However, unfortunately, the proposal was reflected differently to the public and was not accepted. Yet, the proposal was prepared by pointing to the realized inflation of the second 6 months (July-December period). We presented this to the unions as the government. Furthermore, we have always kept the door open to continue working together on social rights.
Yesterday, we made our final offer with clear figures to prevent different perceptions. Unfortunately, the TÜRK-İŞ side did not attend the invitation we made yesterday to present the offer, while the HAK-İŞ side attended, and we presented our offer. We provided our offer with clear rates that would not lead to different interpretations.
Accordingly, 24% for the first 6 months and 11% for the second 6 months; this is a figure determined and offered by taking into account the inflation level projected to occur in the July-December period.
Ultimately, we have reached an offer far above the initial one.
August is the month when collective bargaining negotiations concerning our civil servants and civil servant retirees will be conducted. We will discuss the monthly increases for both our public workers and our civil servants in a way that will not disrupt labor peace, will protect wage balance, and will not harm fiscal discipline and inflation targets.
We are striving to permanently increase the welfare of all our employees. We are working for a lasting prosperity where the wage increase rates do not erode in a short time and do not cause high price increases. We continue this approach today, just as we did yesterday, and present it to the attention of the public.
Our greatest desire is to complete the processes with a constructive attitude for this purpose.
We stand by our workers; just as we have fought to expand the rights of our workers until today, we will continue to work with the same mindset and approach from now on.
Within the scope of the previous term, the 2023-2024 Public Framework Protocol, public workers' wages were increased by 45% including the welfare share in the first six months of 2023, 15% in the second six months; and by 10% in each of the two six-month periods of 2024, and an inflation difference was also paid. The wages of workers with a gross salary below 15,000 TL were raised to this level.
Our goal today, as it was yesterday, is to complete the collective bargaining agreement as soon as possible and ensure that our public workers receive the increases and gains they deserve.