The Public Officials Arbitration Board Thursday decided to implement salary increases for civil servants and retired civil servants during the first half of 2024 with a 15% raise, followed by a 10% raise in the second half besides the subsequent rises in a year after.

For the first half of 2025, a 6% raise will be applied, followed by a 5% raise in the second half of the year, as per Anadolu Agency (AA) reports.

The 7th Period Public Sector Collective Agreement, which determines the financial and social rights of approximately 4 million civil servants and 2.5 million retired civil servants in Türkiye, for the years 2024 and 2025, has been concluded.

Under the leadership of President Metin Yener, the arbitration board convened for the fifth time at the presidency of the Court of Accounts (Sayıştay) at the meeting that began at 10:00 a.m. (7:00 a.m. GMT).

The Board has agreed to grant salary increases for both civil servants and retired civil servants in the aforementioned percentage amounts.

The decision was taken with six votes in favor of accepting the proposal, while five members of the board voted against the decision. The Confederation of Public Employees Trade Union (KESK) representative did not attend the voting.

Along with the decision which is stated to be binding, it was agreed that the inflation differential would be provided in its current form in six-month periods.

Commenting on the decision, Labor and Social Security Minister Vedat Işıkhan said: "We have provided important rights to our public employees in service branches and in 341 articles that we have agreed upon. From now on, we will continue our understanding of protecting all our employees against inflation."

The annual inflation in the country, which subsequently eased to as low as 38.21% in June, rose again to nearly 48% last month due to the Turkish lira’s decline and the tax hikes.

To address this issue, the government has implemented a range of measures, including monetary policy adjustments, fiscal reforms and structural changes in key sectors of the economy.

Earlier in May, the government announced the decision to raise the minimum monthly civil servants' wage to TL 22,000 ($824.9).

Meanwhile, the country's new medium-term program, which covers the 2024-26 period, is expected to be unveiled by the top officials in September.