A press statement was made in Ankara, Ulus by the ‘Retired Memur-Sen’ Union affiliated to the ‘Memur-Sen’ Confederation.
While a call was made to make legal arrangements for the unions of which public servants were members while they were working, so that their membership could continue after retirement, Chairman of the ‘Retired Memur-Sen’ Union Ali Küçükkösen said, "Even though our pensioners earn their rights through a collective agreement, it is not fair that they are not represented as a union at the collective bargaining table."
Küçükkösen pointed out that the retirees are still responsible for providing for their homes despite the termination of their actual service after retirement, “According to our Constitution, the financial, social and personal rights of public servants and public servant retirees are subject to the provisions of the collective agreement concluded by the authorized public servants confederation and their unions with the public administration. On the other hand, retirees cannot be at the collective bargaining table that concerns them, that causes a representation problem for retirees,” he added.
“UNION RIGHTS OF RETIRED PUBLIC SERVANTS SHOULD BE GUARANTEED”
Pointing out that there is no rule prohibiting the union rights of retirees in the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey regarding public servant retirees, Küçükkösen said, “To interpret the fact that there is no mention in the Constitution of retirees to form unions and that they are not members of unions means that this right is expressly prohibited, is against logic of basic rights and freedoms, the constitution's spirit, the essence of the concept of trade union rights and international norms. Universal norms and principles that guarantee the right of retirees of public servants to organize unions should be implemented with the regulations to be made.”