TÜRKİYE KAMU-SEN Holds High Consultation Board Meeting with Enthusiasm

ANKARA – Our Confederation held its High Consultation Board Meeting, themed "8th Term Collective Bargaining," as part of the celebrations for its 33rd founding anniversary.

Following a moment of silence and the singing of our National Anthem, our Chairman, Önder Kahveci, addressed numerous topics in the meeting, including:

• 8th Term Collective Bargaining and our work
• Additional raise and welfare share
• Extension of additional payments to retirees
• 3600 additional indicator
• Auxiliary Services Personnel
• Law No. 4688 on Collective Bargaining
• Contracted personnel
• Public Personnel Regime
• Problems arising from Law No. 5510

In the High Consultation Board meeting, attended by our Chairman Önder Kahveci, Chairmen of our Unions, General Headquarters Executives, and Provincial Representatives, evaluations were made regarding working life and our roadmap for the upcoming 8th Term Collective Bargaining.

YÜCEL KAZANCIOĞLU: WE ARE TÜRKİYE KAMU-SEN TOGETHER!

Speaking at the opening of our High Consultation Board meeting, our Vice Chairman for Organizations and Turkish Haber-Sen Chairman, Yücel Kazancıoğlu, stated, "This meeting is not just for evaluating the agenda or exchanging views; it is an important occasion for us to grasp our historical responsibility, collectively make decisions that will shape the coming period, raise our voices, and strengthen our ranks."

Kazancıoğlu continued, "I feel great pride and happiness to be together with you in this High Consultation Board meeting, shoulder-to-shoulder with those who carry the blessed legacy of Türkiye Kamu-Sen's struggle from past to present. Welcome to our High Consultation Meeting, where we will discuss our demands and proposals intended to form the basis for the collective bargaining negotiations, which we will hold for the eighth time this year. This meeting is not merely for evaluating the agenda or exchanging views; it is an important opportunity to grasp our historical responsibility, to collectively make decisions that will guide the coming period, to amplify our voice, and to solidify our ranks.

Because we know that the uncertainties the world faces today, the internal and external threats our country confronts, combined with the problems experienced by public employees, impose greater duties and responsibilities on us. Our cause is not merely a union cause limited to salary increases or personal rights. Our cause is a struggle for justice, carried out for the unity of our nation, the integrity of our state, and the honor and labor of our public employees. Since our establishment in 1992, we have walked this path with this understanding. By saying 'Our principle is our country first,' leaning on our comrades rather than positions; trusting our nation rather than self-interest, we have grown. And on this journey, even in the most challenging times, we have been loyal to our state, devoted to our nation, and a refuge for public employees. Against those who tried to divide us, we said, 'We are strong together.' There were times we were alone, times we were ignored, but we never bowed, never remained silent, never turned back.

Dear comrades, today public employees face deep problems. The most important platform where these problems will be solved is, undoubtedly, the collective bargaining table. However, for a full 13 years, the so-called authorized unions, sitting at the table with unions from 11 service branches, have devalued the collective bargaining table. They have rendered collective bargaining ineffective. They have brought unionism to the brink of a crisis. While these structures, which claim to be authorized, fall silent on every issue, as Türkiye Kamu-Sen, we have courageously tackled these problems, prepared our solution proposals, and shared them with the public. We fought to implement our demands, negotiating when necessary, and with the most effective actions when required.

Unlike some, we are a union that draws strength not from behind a desk but from being alongside public employees, in the field, shoulder-to-shoulder with our nation. The current time and environment show that the entire world is going through a difficult period, both politically and economically. In this period, protecting and improving the rights of public employees requires an even greater struggle. As Türkiye Kamu-Sen, the demands we will bring to the collective bargaining negotiations and the stance we will take are extremely important. On this occasion, I would like to share a great piece of good news and a rightful source of pride with all of you:

Turkish Culture and Art-Sen has gained authorization for the first time in its history, becoming the authorized union at the collective bargaining table! This is not just a change in numbers or titles, but a very valuable victory that crowns union determination, dedicated effort, and perseverance. With this victory, a breach has been opened in the wall; Turkish Culture and Art-Sen has gained the right to speak and sign at the collective bargaining table in its service branch. With this victory, the hegemony of the so-called authorized union, which has lasted for years, has been broken, monopolization has ended, and Turkish civil servants have said 'Enough' to ineffective unions. For these great achievements, I sincerely congratulate all our organizational members who supported this blessed struggle, especially the Chairman of Turkish Culture and Art-Sen, Mr. Uğur Yıldırım.

The efforts of all our brothers and sisters who work tirelessly in the field, never giving up despite all obstacles, are hidden in this success. I am sure that their presence at the table during the collective bargaining process will add meaning to the negotiations and make everyone feel the difference of Türkiye Kamu-Sen. This success has also been an inspiration to our other unions, adding fighting spirit and the will to succeed. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Dear friends, in the second century of our Republic, we are determined to turn the Turkish and Türkiye Century into the century of labor. For this, we will first trust each other, then act with common sense. We will be the voice of every organizational member in every province and every institution. The ideas, suggestions, and decisions that emerge from here today will light the way not only for Türkiye Kamu-Sen but also for our civil servants, our retirees, and millions who wish to look to the future with hope.

You are the backbone of this organization. This struggle will rise on your shoulders. As I conclude my speech, I once again celebrate the 33rd Anniversary of the establishment of our unions and our Confederation. I wish that the Eighth Term Collective Bargaining Negotiations and our High Consultation Board Meeting will bring goodness; and I once again express my gratitude to all my comrades who contributed to this blessed struggle, who put stone upon stone."

He concluded, "Happy is the one who says 'I am a Turk!' Happy is the one who says 'I am a Türkiye Kamu-Sen member!'"

ÖNDER KAHVECİ: WE ARE SHAPING OUR ROADMAP TOWARDS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

Addressing the participants at the High Consultation Board meeting, our Chairman Önder Kahveci evaluated the 8th Term Collective Bargaining table and working life.

Chairman Kahveci said, "Welcome to our High Consultation Board Meeting, organized within the framework of the 33rd Anniversary of Türkiye Kamu-Sen. I wish this meeting, where we will determine our roadmap for the upcoming 8th Term Collective Bargaining negotiations, will be auspicious and prosperous."

ÖNDER KAHVECİ: THE SUCCESS OF TÜRK KÜLTÜR SANAT-SEN HAS MADE US PROUD

Evaluating the fact that Türk Kültür Sanat-Sen gained authorization in its service branch this year, Chairman Kahveci stated, "After 13 years, Türk Kültür Sanat-Sen has crowned its upward momentum this year by gaining authorization, and this has made us proud.

I owe a debt of gratitude to all those who contributed to this success, especially Mr. Uğur Yıldırım, our Chairman, our board members, and our organizational members. Türkiye Kamu-Sen will once again make a difference at the table this year and will exert all necessary effort and endeavor to ensure our public employees reach the best level in terms of their economic, social, and personal rights."

KAHVECİ: ADDITIONAL RAISES AND WELFARE SHARE ARE ESSENTIAL

Our Chairman Önder Kahveci also drew attention to economic developments, stating, "There has been an inadequacy in civil servant salaries and losses against inflation. Despite the 10.6% inflation announced in the first three months of 2025, civil servants received only a 6% raise." Chairman Kahveci noted that civil servant salaries do not even cover food and rent expenses. Stating that the average civil servant salary is around 50,000 TL, while the mandatory monthly expenses for a family of four approach 80,000 TL, Kahveci emphasized, "Additional raises and a welfare share are now inevitable."

KAHVECİ: TÜRKİYE KAMU-SEN MUST NOW BE AT THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TABLE

Evaluating the collective bargaining process, our Chairman Önder Kahveci stated that the authorized union could not take a firm stance against the public employer's offers, and public employees were not represented at the collective bargaining table. "As Türkiye Kamu-Sen, we express that this structure must be changed," said Chairman Kahveci, underlining the need for a revision in Law No. 4688 on Unions.

KAHVECİ: WE ARE FOLLOWING UP ON ALL ISSUES

In his speech, our Chairman Önder Kahveci also touched upon the lack of merit in the public personnel system, interview-based recruitment practices, the grievances of auxiliary services class employees, and shortcomings in the process of assigning contracted personnel to permanent positions, reiterating that Türkiye Kamu-Sen will continue to follow up on all issues experienced in working life.

KAHVECİ: 3600 ADDITIONAL INDICATOR, AUXILIARY SERVICES, HOLIDAY BONUS, TAX BRACKETS MUST BE RE-REGULATED

Chairman Kahveci once again loudly reiterated our demands, such as providing a 3600 additional indicator to all public employees who reach the first degree, reflecting additional payments in retirement pensions, revising tax brackets, and extending the holiday bonus application to include civil servants.

KAHVECİ: OUR PROPOSAL FOR A NEW PUBLIC PERSONNEL REGIME MUST BE IMPLEMENTED

Stating that Türkiye Kamu-Sen has brought a new public personnel regime to the agenda for the welfare and protection of public employees' rights in the second century of the Republic, within the scope of its "Century of Labor" vision, Kahveci said, "At the core of this system, we want to establish a fair structure based on loyalty, merit, and status law in duty and retirement."

Following our Chairman's speech, the council (divan) was formed. Our council included Türkiye Kamu-Sen General Secretary and Türk Eğitim-Sen Chairman Talip Geylan, Vice Chairman for Organizations and Türk Haber-Sen Chairman Yücel Kazancıoğlu, and Vice Chairman for Collective Bargaining and Türk Büro-Sen Chairman Türkeş Güney.

Our High Consultation Board meeting concluded with speeches from our provincial representatives from all corners of our country, sharing their views and thoughts.