Unhappy with the government's wage rise offer following three rounds of talks on Aug. 27, the civil servants had taken the issue to a conciliation commission to consider both sides' proposals. Evaluating the government's 5 percent offer for 2010 -- implemented in two six-month increments -- the commission decided that the government must offer civil servants a 4 percent wage increase every six months in 2010. Yazıcı said on Wednesday the government will not change their offer.
Speaking to reporters following the end of the meeting in Ankara, Memur-Sen head Ahmet Gündoğdu said they have tried their best to reach a deal, however, the government declined to come around. “The government should take the commission's decision into consideration. You cannot solve the issue like this,” Gündoğdu said, adding they have lost hope of an agreement and decided to take action, hinting that mass protests were on their way. Gündoğdu claimed that the government was violating the law and said they were forced to sign an agreement protocol about which they had not been informed in advance. “The government had prepared an agreement protocol which did not include any reference to the commission's decision and signed it themselves unilaterally.”
Noting that they have switched to “Plan B,” Gündoğdu said they were determined to share their views with the public and take their chances to convince the government to change the “unjust” civil servant law in the Constitution. “The main problem results from the discrepancies in the Constitution and we are committed to work for changing the law for the benefit of public workers.”
Kamu-Sen President Bircan Akyıldız also said they have decided to start demonstrations. According to the law, civil servants in Turkey do not have the right to strike but they could either slow down their work or stage demonstrations, provided that they do not leave their jobs.
