Government, workers agree deal on pay raise
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Temmuz 08, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - The government and labor unions reach an agreement on wage increases for around 300,000 workers employed in state institutions, according to reports. For 2009, the deal offers a 3 percent increase for the first half of the year and 5.5 percent for the second half
Turkey’s labor unions and the government have reached an agreement on this year’s wage increases in their preliminary collective bargaining talks.
The government, represented by State Minister Hayati Yazıcı, and the chairmen of the labor unions resumed negotiations Tuesay after failing to reach a compromise last week.
Early reports after the meeting said an agreement was made on this round of talks, which covers around 300,000 employees working in state institutions.
Yazıcı announced at a press conference that the framework protocol covered two years. For 2009, the government offered a 3 percent increase in wages for the first half of the year of the collective bargaining term and 5.5 percent for the second half. The government also agreed to a 60-Turkish Lira wage increase for wages less than 1,100 liras. For 2010, the government offered 2.5 percent increase for the first half of the year of the collective bargaining term and 2.5 percent for the second half in 2010.
Earlier Tuesday, public sector workers organized under the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions, or Türk-İş, Turkey's largest labor union confederation, went on a one-hour strike throughout the country to protest the government after it turned down their demands in collective bargaining talks July 1.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Türk-İş met for one hour July 1 to discuss this year’s wage increase but failed to reach an agreement in preliminary collective bargaining talks.
The government’s earlier offer included a 3 percent increase in wages for the first half of the year of the collective bargaining term and 4 percent for the second half. The government also suggested a 5 percent rise for the second year. Türk-İs had requested an increase to match annual inflation in 2008, which was 10.06 percent in consumer prices.
Following the labor unions’ decision to go on strike in all working places to protest the government’s attitude in the talks, Erdoğan said the labor unions were free to go on strike, leading to rising tension between the government and labor unions.
Türk-İş Chairman Mustafa Kumlu said that during the strike the workers demanded to be reimbursed for their losses from newly introduced or raised insurance premiums, taxes and inflation.
Yazıcı, the state minister who assumed the task of collective bargaining talks on behalf of government, said earlier Tuesday in a press conference that the strike was the right of the employees but that it should be in line with Turkey’s laws and Constitution. Formal collective bargaining negotiations are carried out every year from Aug. 15 to 30. According to the law, the negotiations have to be finalized in 15 days.
Gül, unions meet for
controversial law
President Abdullah Gül met Tuesday with the chairmen of the labor unions of Türk-İş; the Confederation of Turkish Revolutionary Workers Union, or DİSK; and the Labor Confederation, or Hak-İş.
In the meeting, Türk-İş Chairman Mustafa Kumlu, Hak-İş Chairman Salim Uslu and DİSK Chairman Süleyman Çelebi raised their concerns over the recently adopted legislation that allows companies to hire temporary workers through private bureaus, urging Gül to veto the legislation.
Approved by Parliament with another much-criticized law that allows military personnel to be judged by the civilian courts in a midnight session in late June, the law envisages the formation of "Private Labor Offices" able to hire workers for employment in companies, firms or factories. The legislation is pending presidential approval.
Labor organizations are arguing that the legislation brings "slavery," paving the way for "worker brokerage" and resulting in the destruction of the collective bargaining system.
Speaking after the meeting, Kumlu said they conveyed their concerns about the law and handed files to Gül. "We said the law will create some problems and Gül responded that he will consider the law fastidiously," Uslu told reporters.
The government, represented by State Minister Hayati Yazıcı, and the chairmen of the labor unions resumed negotiations Tuesay after failing to reach a compromise last week.
Early reports after the meeting said an agreement was made on this round of talks, which covers around 300,000 employees working in state institutions.
Yazıcı announced at a press conference that the framework protocol covered two years. For 2009, the government offered a 3 percent increase in wages for the first half of the year of the collective bargaining term and 5.5 percent for the second half. The government also agreed to a 60-Turkish Lira wage increase for wages less than 1,100 liras. For 2010, the government offered 2.5 percent increase for the first half of the year of the collective bargaining term and 2.5 percent for the second half in 2010.
Earlier Tuesday, public sector workers organized under the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions, or Türk-İş, Turkey's largest labor union confederation, went on a one-hour strike throughout the country to protest the government after it turned down their demands in collective bargaining talks July 1.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Türk-İş met for one hour July 1 to discuss this year’s wage increase but failed to reach an agreement in preliminary collective bargaining talks.
The government’s earlier offer included a 3 percent increase in wages for the first half of the year of the collective bargaining term and 4 percent for the second half. The government also suggested a 5 percent rise for the second year. Türk-İs had requested an increase to match annual inflation in 2008, which was 10.06 percent in consumer prices.
Following the labor unions’ decision to go on strike in all working places to protest the government’s attitude in the talks, Erdoğan said the labor unions were free to go on strike, leading to rising tension between the government and labor unions.
Türk-İş Chairman Mustafa Kumlu said that during the strike the workers demanded to be reimbursed for their losses from newly introduced or raised insurance premiums, taxes and inflation.
Yazıcı, the state minister who assumed the task of collective bargaining talks on behalf of government, said earlier Tuesday in a press conference that the strike was the right of the employees but that it should be in line with Turkey’s laws and Constitution. Formal collective bargaining negotiations are carried out every year from Aug. 15 to 30. According to the law, the negotiations have to be finalized in 15 days.
Gül, unions meet for
controversial law
President Abdullah Gül met Tuesday with the chairmen of the labor unions of Türk-İş; the Confederation of Turkish Revolutionary Workers Union, or DİSK; and the Labor Confederation, or Hak-İş.
In the meeting, Türk-İş Chairman Mustafa Kumlu, Hak-İş Chairman Salim Uslu and DİSK Chairman Süleyman Çelebi raised their concerns over the recently adopted legislation that allows companies to hire temporary workers through private bureaus, urging Gül to veto the legislation.
Approved by Parliament with another much-criticized law that allows military personnel to be judged by the civilian courts in a midnight session in late June, the law envisages the formation of "Private Labor Offices" able to hire workers for employment in companies, firms or factories. The legislation is pending presidential approval.
Labor organizations are arguing that the legislation brings "slavery," paving the way for "worker brokerage" and resulting in the destruction of the collective bargaining system.
Speaking after the meeting, Kumlu said they conveyed their concerns about the law and handed files to Gül. "We said the law will create some problems and Gül responded that he will consider the law fastidiously," Uslu told reporters.