Workers and Government Reach Agreement

State Minister Hayati Yazıcı and Türk-İş trade union confederation president Mustafa Kumlu met yesterday (7 July) and then signed a collective labour agreement.

According to this agreement, public employees will receive a rise of 3 percent for the first half of 2009, an increase by 5.5 percent in the second half, and 2.5 percent in both the first and second half of 2010.

Should this rate be too low to compensate for inflation, it will be raised.

In addition, workers whose monthly salary is below 1,100 TL (around 508 Euros) will be paid an extra rise of 60 TL, with the provision that the new wage will not be over 1,100 TL.

The same increases will be valid for social rights.

Hundreds of thousands workers affected

Minister Yazıcı promised that the outstanding payments would be made as quickly as possible, but did not give a date.

The new agreement affects around 242,000 employees in 265 work places in 11 different branches.

Kumlu said that despite the fact that the rates did not make up for losses, the decision had been made together with trade union presidents representing 90 percent of those working in the public sector. He thanked professional and labour associations for their support.

 With the signing of the framework protocol, a strike of around 90,000 workers has been avoided. (TK/AG)