“We Reject the Proposal that Disregards Public Workers' Efforts”

In the collective agreement, which will determine the financial and social rights of 4 million public employees and 2 million retired civil servants for the years 2026-2027, Memur-Sen has requested the following: for the first 6 months of 2026: a base salary increase of 10,000 Turkish Lira + 10% welfare share + 25% proportional increase; for the second 6 months of 2026: a 20% proportional increase; for the first 6 months of 2027: a base salary increase of 7,500 Turkish Lira + 20% proportional increase; for the second 6 months of 2027: a 15% proportional increase. 

 Yalçın stated, “We reject the proposal that disregards the efforts of public workers.”

The Public Employer has made its first offer in the eagerly awaited 8th Term Collective Agreement. In contrast to Memur-Sen's proposal of a 134% raise for two years, Ali Yalçın responded to the Public Employer’s offer of a 10%+6% raise for 2026 and a 4%+4% raise for 2027, emphasizing that the proposal did not include a welfare share or an increase in the base salary. He stated, 'This proposal does not reflect the reality of inflation. It disregards retirees, workers, and solutions to existing problems. This proposal has no relation to reason, conscience, fairness, or justice. The employer has produced not hope, but disappointment. The will we have expressed is not reflected in the employer’s offer. These percentages do not compensate for past losses, nor do they alleviate future concerns. Therefore, we reject this unserious offer.' 

Yalçın remarked that it has been 19 days since Memur-Sen submitted its proposal on July 24, saying, 'Did the employer wait 19 days for this proposal?' He emphasized that the current figures do not align with market prices, rental increases, or the realities of public workers. Yalçın, stressing that the current offer is not even worth considering for 19 seconds, let alone 19 days, added, 'We do not see an offer to negotiate. This proposal does not address the wage inequity among public employees, it only exacerbates it. This distortion must be corrected immediately. If justice, balance, and equality cannot be achieved at this table, then where can they be?' 

Ali Yalçın: We will protest in the squares of 81 provinces

Continuing his speech, Ali Yalçın noted that no lessons had been learned from the mistakes made in the previous collective agreement, and that the same mistakes were being repeated. He underscored that public employees and retirees could not afford to lose another two years at the negotiating table. He concluded his remarks as follows: 'These figures—note that I am calling them figures, not an offer—are hypothetical numbers unworthy of a Great and Powerful Turkey. I call on the Public Employer from here: There’s one week left… Revise the offer immediately. Solve the problems of public workers and retirees. Come with an offer that includes a raise in the base salary and a welfare share. Tomorrow, 81 provincial representatives will show their reaction in the squares, and we will show the necessary response from the Ministry of Labor.'