16.08.2025 22:01
Unions that find the government's proposal of a 10% + 6% raise for civil servants and a 1000 TL increase in the base salary for 2026 insufficient will hold a nationwide strike on Monday. Many unions, including Memur-Sen, KESK, and Eğitim-Bir-Sen, will organize a rally and march in Ankara to demand a new proposal.
Approximately 4 million civil servants and 2.5 million retired civil servants are affected by the 8th Term Collective Bargaining negotiations, which have stalled. The government's second offer of a 10+6% raise for 2026 and a 1000 TL increase in the base salary was deemed insufficient by the unions. The Minister of Labor and Social Security, Vedat Işıkhan, announced the proposal, which the unions protested, declaring that they would hold a strike across Turkey on Monday.
UNIONS' STRONG REACTION
KESK Co-Chair Ahmet Karagöz stated that the second offer would also be unacceptable, saying, "This is not just a wage negotiation; it is a comprehensive attack on the future of labor." Karagöz announced that a one-day strike would take place in 81 provinces on August 18, and if their demands are not met, the option of a general strike would be on the agenda. Memur-Sen President Ali Yalçın stated, "On Monday, we will use the power that comes from labor. We will strike across Turkey and gather in a large rally in Ankara to march to the Ministry of Finance," emphasizing that they expect a new proposal from the government that would ease the situation.
EĞİTİM-BİR-SEN ALSO IN THE FIELD
The General Management Board of Eğitim-Bir-Sen announced that they would set up protest tents in 81 provinces and hold a mass march and press conference in Ankara's Anadolu Square on August 18.
MONDAY LIFE WILL COME TO A STANDSTILL
If the government does not present a new and comprehensive proposal, the unions will implement large-scale strike actions across the country. The rally and march to be held in Ankara on Monday is expected to be a critical turning point in the collective bargaining process.
"THE ADDRESS IS CORRECT BUT THE AMOUNT IS EXTREMELY WRONG"
Memur-Sen President and Head of the Public Employees' Unions Delegation Ali Yalçın stated that he met with Minister of Labor and Social Security Işıkhan, saying, "They invited us, as the head of the delegation, to evaluate the situation with the three confederation heads present at the table, and we proceeded to a meeting together. We just requested the second offer, but I don't know whether to express the second offer or not. A 1000 TL increase in the base salary was only proposed once. The address is correct, but the amount is extremely wrong," he said.