Low pay/minimum wages, Pay settlements, Türkiye
Pay deal for civil servants below inflation
Civil servants this year will see pay rise by 8% for the first six months with a further 4% for the second six months. Workers on less than TL 3500 (EUR 555) a month will get an additional TL 150 (EUR 25). Not all public sector trade unions are happy with the outcome as inflation is currently running at 16.7%. Pay in 2020 is set to increase in two instalments of 3%, although this could be increased if inflation is higher.
Unions protest over dismissals and minimum wage
On 3 October unions in the DISK and KESK confederations organised a half-day work stoppage in the city of Izmir in western Turkey. The strike called for the reinstatement of workers who have been arbitrarily dismissed by the government in its continuing indiscriminate actions following the attempted coup in 2016. The unions also called for an increase in the minimum wage and for municipal workers to be treated the same as civil servants in relation to the government's recent legislation to end outsourcing.
Survey reveals realities of workers' pay and working conditions
A survey commissioned by the DISK trade union confederation reveals the low pay and long working hours faced by many workers across Turkey. Some 54% of all workers say they are “struggling to make ends meet,” while 71% of workers without any social coverage say the same. In contrast, only 19% of trade union members say they are “struggling to make ends meet.” However, union density is only at 13%. Twenty-four percent of all workers say they do not take any annual leave, rising to 48% among uninsured workers.The study also revealed that 44% of workers believe their health and safety conditions
Strike action wins better pay offer
(February 2017) Workers employed by the Karbel municipal company in Karabağlart in the Izmir province in western Turkey took strike action at the end of January and won an improved pay offer from the employer. Wages will rise by 9% this year and there is an inflation-plus formula for the second year of the agreement. Other allowances will also increase. EPSU sent solidarity greetings underlining the workers' determination to assert their right to take action even during a period when the government has threatened to ban strikes.