KASK's 'Real, Not Fake, Increase' Action: Inflation Difference is Compensation, Not a Raise

The Confederation of Independent Public Unions (KASK) held simultaneous press releases across Turkey to announce wage increase demands for civil servants and retirees. Representatives of Hep-Sen, Üniper-Sen, Bizim-Sen, Hep-Büro-Sen, and Kamu399-Sen gathered in front of Muş Atatürk Park, calling for steps to protect living standards under current economic conditions. The statement emphasized that recent government wage hikes were insufficient for survival and had lost value against inflation. Speaking on behalf of the group, Hep-Sen Muş Branch President Emre Ödemiş highlighted the erosion of public employees' purchasing power, delivering a clear message: 'We want a real increase, not a fake one.'

Delving into the details of his speech, Ödemiş criticized the approximately 13.51% wage hike announced for the second half of 2026, arguing it cannot be classified as a raise. He stated that the inflation difference is not actually a raise but merely a delayed compensation for the income loss over the past six months, asserting that this rate falls far short of protecting public employees' purchasing power. The unionist added that this is not an improvement to alleviate the employees' grievances but merely minimizing the damage in light of economic data.

Ödemiş argued that there is a serious discrepancy between official inflation data and the real-life cost of change citizens feel in markets, bazaars, and especially the housing sector, supporting the economic picture with striking data. Recalling that the poverty limit has reached 116 thousand 478 TL, Ödemiş stated that exorbitant increases in rent prices have become the biggest economic burden for public employees. Furthermore, pointing out that Turkey ranks first in the world in food inflation, Ödemiş explained that while world food prices rose by 1.2% since September 2021, this rate rose by 733% in Turkey, and citizens are now trying to sustain their lives by borrowing via credit cards and consumer loans rather than their incomes.

Evaluating the budget data for the first five months of 2026, Ödemiş argued that the welfare and living standards of public employees should be prioritized over interest payments in public financial planning. He criticized the projected 5% and 4% raise rates for 2027, predicting that they would evaporate without being applied in the inflationary environment and yield no benefit to employees. In this context, Ödemiş called for collective bargaining processes to be renegotiated and revised in favor of employees due to changing conditions.

Finally, stating that the burden of the economic crisis should not be placed on the shoulders of the workers, the KASK Confederation shared a concrete six-point demand list with the public. Among the union's demands are an additional wage increase for July 2026 salaries, a reconsideration of the collective bargaining raise rates set for 2027, updating wages based on real living costs, and restructuring the income tax system in favor of wage earners. Additionally, the action concluded with calls for the creation of a transparent and reliable price index system and for public employees to receive their fair share of economic growth.