Second Meeting for Minimum Wage Increase Scheduled for Today
The Minimum Wage Determination Commission is holding its second meeting today to determine the minimum wage to be implemented in 2025. The 15-member commission, composed of representatives from workers, employers, and the government, will establish the framework for negotiations by examining fundamental economic data.
Although no figures were mentioned in the commission's first meeting, representatives from the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, the Ministry of Trade, and the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) will present economic data and reports in today's meeting.
In the Minimum Wage Determination Commission, the workers' side is represented by TÜRK-İŞ, while the employers' side is represented by the Turkish Employers’ Associations Confederation (TİSK). TÜRK-İŞ Deputy President Ramazan Ağar chairs the workers' delegation, while TİSK Secretary General Akansel Koç leads the employers' delegation.
Today's meeting of the commission will begin at 14:00 on December 16. TÜRK-İŞ stated in a press release after the first meeting that the employee members voiced their concerns.
Potential raise scenarios Although the raise percentage for the minimum wage has not yet been finalized, different scenarios ranging from 25% to 45% are on the table. In January 2024, the minimum wage was increased by 49.11% to reach 17,002 lira. The Minimum Wage Determination Commission aims to set the minimum wage by the end of the year. Industrialists and employer representatives expect the newly determined wage to be balanced and fair.
Government's approach Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan emphasized in his speech at the commission’s first meeting that they are making every effort to ensure that the minimum wage is determined in a balanced manner for both employees and employers. Işıkhan stated that they are carefully evaluating economic indicators and that the increase in the minimum wage will serve as a shield against inflation while also enhancing purchasing power. The minister also highlighted the importance of a fair wage policy within the framework of the vision for Turkey's Century.