Hak-İş demands additional protocol for public workers

HAK-İŞ Confederation Deputy Chairman Mehmet Ali Kayabaşı stated in his announcement that while he finds the improvements made to the salaries and wages of minimum wage earners, civil servants, civil servant retirees, and finally worker retirees to be positive, he expressed that the salaries of public workers have eroded in the face of rising inflation despite the historic public framework protocol.

"WE BELIEVE ALL PUBLIC WORKERS SHOULD BENEFIT FROM THE WAGE INCREASE"

Kayabaşı said, "It is known to the public that, in accordance with the regulations in the public framework protocol currently in force for determining the financial and social rights of public workers, a 32.57 percent increase was applied to the wages they received as of 31.12.2023.

We find the regulation, which was signed on 29.01.2024 with the public framework additional protocol, to apply the 32.57 percent wage hike to the wage increase periods of all collective bargaining agreements that begin after January, to be positive for working life.

However; we believe that all public workers, who could not benefit from the 49.25 percent increase granted to many segments of society due to the rising cost of living and the continuous decline in purchasing power, should be allowed to benefit from the 49.25 percent wage increase."

Kayabaşı emphasized that the fact that the improvement made has not been reflected in public workers has widened the wage gap between public workers and other segments of society. Kayabaşı said, "In order to protect retiree wages against realized inflation, the increase rate, which was to be applied as 37.57 percent based on six-month inflation, was first increased to 42.57 percent with a 5 percent improvement, and then the civil servant increase rate was raised to 49.25 percent, which gave public workers great hope."

CALL TO THE GOVERNMENT

Pointing out that despite the historic public framework protocol made on behalf of public workers, wages have eroded in the face of rising inflation and a new regulation is needed, Kayabaşı said the following:

"Especially the consecutive improvements made to the minimum wage and rising inflation have caused a significant erosion in the wages of public workers. The 32.57 percent wage hike given to public workers has further widened the gap between public workers and all other segments of society.

The government's 49.25 percent raise for civil servants, civil servant retirees, and worker retirees, and the 49.11 percent raise for minimum wage earners, has increased the expectations of the worker segment, which numbers in the millions along with their families.

We call on the Government to resolve the wage imbalance that has occurred in the public sector, to balance the widened wage gap, and to maintain labor peace and tranquility;

"We find the additional framework agreement protocol signed on 29.01.2024 between our Confederation HAK-İŞ, the Turkish Heavy Industry and Service Sector Public Employers' Union (TÜHİS), and our Government, which provides for a 32.57 percent wage increase during the increase periods of collective bargaining agreements with different effective dates, to be positive; however, it is important to make a new additional protocol to the PFP with a regulation that will make all public workers smile and be valid from January onwards, and to REFLECT THE 49.25 PERCENT INCREASE GRANTED TO ALL SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY TO ALL PUBLIC WORKERS.

As HAK-İŞ, we trust our state and believe that this grievance will be resolved as soon as possible and that good news will be given."

News Source: 12punto