Turkey

Lower paid civil servants get higher increase

The government has announced an 8.45 average pay increase for civil servants but with a higher increase - 10% - for the lower paid. Overall this year the average rise fro civil servants has been 18.5% but 22.7% for the lower paid. Inflation in Turkey was 12.06% in the 12 months to July. Read more at > Turkish Daily News (EN)

Civil service unions unhappy at 12%-13% pay increases

The Turkish government is imposing a 12.2% pay increase on civil servants in 2007, with 13.2% for the lower paid. The actual increases will be 3% in January and 3% in July for most civil servants while the lower paid will get two instalments of 4%. The extra percentage in each case is compensation for loss of purchasing power in 2006. Unions point out that inflation is already heading for 10% by the end of the year against a forecast 5%. Read more at > Turkish Daily News (EN)

Cabinet to decide on civil service pay

A dispute over pay increases for civil servants in 2007 has reached the Cabinet after government negotiators failed to agree an increase. This followed the intervention of the National Reconciliation Board after direct negotiations between the government and trade unions ended without agreement. The National Reconciliation Board recommended two increases of 5% for civil servants in 2007 with lower paid civil servants getting two increases of 6%. The latest offer from the government was only two general increases of 3% with two of 4% for the lowest paid. Read more at > Turkish Daily News website (EN)

Civil service union federations begin negotiations

Over the next two weeks three Turkish union federations will be negotiating with various ministerial representatives in the Public Employers Board over the pay and conditions of 1.5 million government workers. Improving minimum rates and higher pay increases for the lowest paid workers are among the key demands of the three federations. All three will be organising various events and demonstrations in support of their claims. If a deal can’t be reached within two weeks then a conciliation board made up of academics is brought in to find a way to conclude the negotiations. Federations are looking for civil servants pay to be above poverty rates in the economy as a whole which one federation puts at 983.37 TL a month (around €530). (Thanks to www.labourstart.org for identifying this story) Read more at > Turkish Daily News website (EN)