Public Sector Salary Increases for 2026-27 Spark Controversy in Türkiye

The Public Servants Arbitration Board’s (Kamu Görevlileri Hakem Kurulu) decision on salary adjustments for civil servants and retired public employees for the 2026-2027 period has been officially published in the Official Gazette, sparking widespread criticism among hundreds of thousands of public employees.

According to the announcement, the salary increases are modest: 11% for the first half of 2026, 7% for the second half; 5% in the first half of 2027 and 4% in the second half.

“The proposed raise rates are clearly insufficient to cover the expected inflation, and they risk eroding real income for public employees,” commented analysts observing the decision.

Arbitration Board Composition

The decision was reached in a board chaired by Supreme Audit Institution (Sayıştay) President Metin Yener. The committee included representatives from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, Ministry of Treasury and Finance, the Presidential Strategy and Budget Office, academics, and union delegates. Following deliberations, the public employer’s proposal was approved and finalized with the status of a collective agreement.

Key Adjustments

Base Salary: The previously announced 1,000 TL increase for the first six months of 2026 remains unchanged.

Additional Payments: For administrative and support staff not previously benefiting from additional payments, the raise has been increased from 8 to 10 points.

Foreign Language Allowance: Doubled to 100%.

Private Security Officers: Paid 307 TL per day for extra work on official and religious holidays.

Disabled Child Support: The family allowance for disabled children, previously increased by 50%, receives an additional 10% boost.

Consensus on 58 Provisions: All points agreed upon between public employers and unions in the collective bargaining process were approved unanimously.

No Right to Appeal

Because the Arbitration Board’s decisions carry the weight of a collective agreement, there is no legal avenue to challenge the rulings.

Public Backlash

The Official Gazette’s publication of the salary adjustments prompted widespread dissatisfaction among civil servants and retired employees. The planned increases for 2027—5% and 4% respectively—have drawn particular criticism, as many argue they fail to keep pace with projected high inflation, potentially causing a real loss of purchasing power.

“Even though nominal salaries rise, the expected inflation means employees may feel their wages are effectively shrinking,” union representatives stated.

This controversy highlights ongoing tensions between public sector wage policies and inflation expectations, emphasizing the growing concerns of Türkiye’s civil workforce regarding real income stability.