Turkey public sector workers face inflation‑driven pay cuts, unions call for seyyanen raise

Turkey’s May 2024 consumer price data showed a 1.71% monthly increase and a 32.61% annual inflation rate, resulting in a cumulative five‑month inflation of 16.61%. Union leaders Ibrahım Bahşi of Memur‑Sen Elazığ and General Secretary Ali Yalçın warned that civil servants’ and retirees’ salaries have already been eroded by this pace, calling a “seyyanen” (rolling) wage increase “unavoidable.” They demanded that salaries be adjusted every three months, that pay inequities between different public‑sector categories be eliminated, and that the 4688 law governing civil‑service arbitration be reformed.

SGK expert Emin Yılmaz produced detailed projections for July salary adjustments using TÜİK, ENAG and İTO inflation estimates. According to his tables, the five‑month inflation figures were 16.61% (TÜİK), 23.56% (ENAG) and 17.76% (İTO). The calculations suggest that the lowest pension, currently set at 20,000 TL, could rise to between 23,600 TL and 25,900 TL, while higher pensions would reach roughly 30,000‑47,000 TL. For civil servants, projected July salaries range from about 58,300 TL to over 71,000 TL depending on the inflation scenario.

The issue affects millions of public employees and retirees, placing pressure on the government’s wage‑setting and inflation‑control policies.