From public workers to the government: Collective negotiations must end as soon as possible

Members of the Eskişehir branch of the Turkish trade union Harb-İş want negotiations between the government and Türk-İş, Hak İş to be resolved as soon as possible on the 2023 Public Sector Collective Bargaining Agreement, which determines financial rights and social benefits of public workers in 2023-2025.

Stating that the collective agreement negotiations, which the workers were waiting with great hope and patience, were not completed due to the serious economic crisis in the country and especially the inflation figures that oppress the workers, Hasan Atak, President of the Eskişehir Section of the Harb-İş Turkish Union, said: “While the government was expected to come to the table yesterday with a new proposal, the government returned to the table empty-handed. This is simply to distract the worker and spread flour on the rope. As we have insisted, approximately 2.5 million people, including their families, have faced obvious financial difficulties and have been waiting months with high hopes for this difficulty to be overcome. Everyone is patient, and this The patience of the working class has run out, they are sick of being cheated, made to wait, kept out of the job that will take the longest, and usurped their rights from open mics. Enough is enough,” he said.

“THE PROTOCOL TO BE CARRIED OUT MUST BE CARRIED OUT FOR A MOMENT”

He said that the inflation rate has exceeded 100 percent and that there have been increases of up to 300 percent in basic consumer goods and services in the last year, and in this environment, the salary and social rights increases that the Public Collective Bargaining Framework Agreement Protocol is upside down with non-salary provisions Emphasizing that there should be no collective bargaining agreement protocol, branch president Hasan Atak said: “Once again, it needs to be said that ; The protocol to be carried out must be carried out as soon as possible, considering the general economic data, especially the rates of increase in wages and salaries, inflation and currency increases, the proposals of the workers must be accepted without end. Türk İş, our representative at the table, should focus on protecting and improving the income of public sector workers. Realizing the expectations and objectives of economic management is the task of the government, not ours. The proposal that the government has put on the table is far from covering even half of the erosion of wages, especially in the last year. A low salary increase clearly means an unfair transfer of resources from workers’ income to the general budget.

“THAT THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPT OFFERS FROM WORKERS”

Saying that unionists should know how to say ‘enough’ to this situation, which they say is a diversionary tactic by putting their hats in front of them, Atak said: “What needs to be done on behalf of the workers is clear. . . It is to walk the path together with all mass democratic organizations, class organizations and professional organizations to change the existing system that does not consent to its fate and renounce workers’ rights. From here, our call to the Government is to put an end to the delays applied by the Public Framework Protocol, to end this middle game, and to accept the offers of the workers”, he said.