TÜRK-İŞ Chairman Ergün Atalay and HAK-İŞ Chairman Mahmut Arslan held a joint press conference at TÜRK-İŞ Headquarters regarding the stage reached in the 2023 Public Collective Bargaining Agreement Framework Protocol negotiations, which concern more than 700 thousand public workers.
Stating that the Framework Protocol includes 301 contracts concerning different public institutions and organizations, Atalay emphasized that 25 percent of these contracts expire in January and 75 percent expire in March.
Pointing out that they suspended the contract negotiations for a while due to the earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş, Atalay said:
“Our talks with the public employer started again about 20 days ago. As the heads of the Confederation, we also met with the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Vedat Bilgin. We submitted the demands including an increase in the base wage to 15 thousand liras, a 45 percent increase in the first six months, welfare share, and improvements in social rights. “Last week, we were offered a base wage of 11,500 lira and a 30 percent increase. This offer does not meet our demands as the workers’ segment. We expressed that it is not appropriate to talk about these figures.”
“We do not sign anything that the worker will not consent to”
Expressing that each union is in favor of signing their contracts at the desk with consensus and gains, Atalay said:
“The demand of both TÜRK-İŞ and HAK-İŞ is for workers to receive increased wages in May. If the amount we desire, we want to conclude this contract within 10-15 days. “If we can meet somewhere, we will meet, if we can’t, all options, including the decision to strike, will come up. We will not sign anything that the worker will not consent to.”
Announcing that they will be in Adana on May 1 Labor and Solidarity Day this year, Atalay said, “It’s time to heal the wounds of the earthquake together. On May 1, we will be in solidarity with those affected by the earthquake.” said.
Criticizing that political parties do not give enough place to names of worker and laborer origin in their parliamentary candidate lists, Atalay said that the names of workers and laborers who are on the list are shown from places that are difficult to choose.
“Wealth share is included in the 30 percent raise offer”
On the question of whether the collective bargaining agreement will reach May 1, Atalay noted that the money to be received and the base wage when the unions go to the meeting come to the fore, but there are also some problems such as social benefits, additional payment, overtime work, unemployment premium and night work. .
Explaining that efforts are being made to solve them, Atalay said, “There is a staff issue for these subcontractors, which is as important as a contract. We want it to be included in the article we will prepare under this contract.” he said.
Expressing that it is difficult for the negotiations to be concluded until the feast, Atalay said, “But we tied it until May 1, we tied it. said.
Expressing that they have the possibility to meet with Minister Bilgin tomorrow, Atalay said, “If they bring something that will meet the expectations of the society, there is no problem. But if they do not bring it, whether it is in May or in June, I think neither HAK-İŞ nor TÜRK-İŞ will be on the side of anything negative. ” made its assessment.
Upon the question of the welfare share in the proposal of TÜHİS, Atalay informed that the welfare share was included in their offer of a 30 percent increase.
“We wish to meet with the public side at a common point”
HAK-İŞ Chairman Arslan also stated that the cooperation between the two confederations gave successful results in the collective bargaining negotiations covering the years 2021-2022 and emphasized that meeting a significant part of their demands encouraged them for this period.
Reminding that they met with Vedat Bilgin, Minister of Labor and Social Security regarding the new term contract, on April 10, Arslan said that some of the topics in the public framework protocol signed last term could not be implemented.
Explaining that they could not solve the problem of recruiting employees who could not get a staff after the Decree-Law No. 696 (KHK), Arslan reminded that there was no improvement in the personnel rights of those who were hired by this decree.
Stating that these issues were kept on the agenda again this period, Arslan stated that they plan to solve these problems with the collective bargaining agreement to be made.
Recalling the figures presented by TÜHİS in the collective bargaining agreement negotiations, Arslan said, “We cannot reach an agreement on these figures because they do not meet the expectations of the employees. We are waiting for new proposals from our government, TÜHİS and the Minister. Turkey has enough stock of problems, employees can be protected against high inflation. “The only solution is to unionize and collective bargaining. If we cannot solve these problems in collective agreements, it means that we are facing a big problem for the union movement.” he said.
Expressing that they wish to meet with the public side at a common point, Arslan continued as follows:
“If our demands are not met, even if we cannot reach a compromise, we will see the legal processes together. I hope there are expectations before we go to that point. Indeed, a significant part of our friends working in the public sector have big deficits due to economic problems. Expectations are very high for these to be eliminated. We are aware of this, and accordingly there is a solution. We’re trying to find it.”
Arslan also added that they will organize a symbolic event in Kahramanmaraş as HAK-İŞ within the scope of May 1 Labor and Solidarity Day.
