Civil Servants in Türkiye Stage Nationwide Strike over Salary Negotiations
On August 18, 2025, civil servants across Türkiye engaged in a one-day nationwide strike following the collapse of salary negotiations with the government, reports 24brussels.
The strike, initiated by union confederations, came after they deemed the government’s second salary offer inadequate for the approximately 4 million public employees and 2.5 million retired civil servants. The initial proposal included a 10 percent raise for the first half of 2026 and six percent for the second half, along with additional increases of four percent for each half of 2027. The revised offer included a 1,000 Turkish lira (US$24.46) increase to the base salary.
Ali Yalcin, president of Memur-Sen, the largest union confederation, asserted that the government’s proposal was “non-negotiable.” Unions called for an 88 percent raise for 2026 and a 46 percent increase for 2027, emphasizing the need for substantial adjustments in base salary alongside percentage-based raises.
The strike led to significant disruptions in transportation services throughout the country. All commuter train services in İzmir were canceled, and operations were suspended in several other cities, including Eskişehir, Aydın, Denizli, Zonguldak, and Karabük, according to the Sozcu Daily.
In recent years, Türkiye has faced persistent high inflation, primarily driven by escalating food and energy costs. Although the annual inflation rate saw a decline to 33.5 percent in July, the lowest in almost four years, public dissatisfaction over wage increases persists.
