Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations for public employees take place every two years. KESK has certain criticisms about the structure and methodology of the CBA. However, we do our best to get the optimum benefit from the CBA talks.
Accordingly, KESK conducted an extensive survey at workplaces to get first-hand information from public employees and KESK shop stewards across the country. The KESK collective bargaining demands are based on these inputs. Our demands have 6 main pillars;
1) Decent wage for all public employees,
2) Quality public services for all,
3) Secured universal basic income,
4) Job security, Secured Future,
5) Democratic and fair working conditions,
6) A meaningful CBA mechanism.
The KESK demands have professional, financial and democratic aspects to protect and promote labour rights and quality public services.
Furthermore, KESK delegation visited numerous organizations including other trade union confederations, several political parties from a broad political spectrum, and media outlets. We also prepared materials that we distributed at workplaces and actively used social media.
KESK submitted its file to the Ministry of Labour in time. Our leaders attended the first round of the CBA negotiations and publicly expressed our demands. Not surprisingly the Ministry of Labour offered an extremely low increase (offers 5% and 6% increase in wage and the inflation rate balance for the 1st and 2nd Quarters respectively in 2022. It offers %6+6% increase and the inflation rate balance in 2023. It is unacceptable for KESK.) that focuses on economic rights only. Given its unbalanced structure and not being an inclusive CBA, KESK will have not enough space to express its criticisms and concerns about the offer through the negotiations. The current structure authorizes only 1 confederation, which holds the majority in this case MemurSen, to represent public employees in these meetings.
The KESK executive committee decided to launch the 2nd stage of the CBA negotiations action plan that is visiting different cities and informing the public about the negotiations as well as the position of the Ministry and Memursen. In this regard, KESK formed 2 groups to march from Batman, a city in the Southeast region, and Edirne, a city in the Western region, to Ankara. KESK will visit 16 cities and meet with public employees, media outlets and organise press conferences and/or demonstrations. The final demonstration will be held at 17.00 in Ankara on 20 August 2021.
