Turkish gov’t cuts protective clothing assistance in state enterprises as part of austerity measures

Duvar English

Turkey’s Treasury and Finance Ministry on March 8 sent a letter to all state-owned enterprises (KİT) and public institutions and demanded that the clothing allowance for civil servants be withdrawn. 

Several institutions, including Turkish State Railways (TCDD), the Turkish Coal Operations Authority (TKİ), General Directorate of Tea Enterprises (ÇAYKUR) and Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAŞ), have already cancelled the clothing and protective clothing assistance for their personnel.

Clothing assistance covers the provision of clothing materials to the personnel of state institutions and organizations working in factories, workshops, laboratories -underground, and open field conditions- which must be worn during the duty as required by the service.

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) lawmaker Murat Emir brought the decision affecting hundreds of thousands of civil servants to the parliamentary agenda and said, "Austerity measures were cited as a justification (for this decision). Bureaucrats, who do not cut their double salaries and luxury expenses, have already started imposing austerity measures risking the health of civil servants without even waiting for the elections." 

In his parliamentary question for Treasury Minister Mehmet Şimşek to answer, Emir noted that the ministry justified its decision using Court of Account’s warnings on the excessive spending of the public institutions.

According to the lawmaker, the assistance cost of the departments who did not comply with the decision would be collected from those responsible.

Emir also underscored that the bureaucrat who sent this decision to the public institutions has been receiving double salary from the state.