Minimum wage talks kick off in Ankara

ANKARA

Labor and Social Security Minister Vedat Bilgin gestures during a meeting with labor and trade union representatives in Ankara on Dec. 1.

A commission of officials and representatives of labor and trade unions convened to initiate negotiations on the minimum wage for next year.

“There are nearly 6 million workers and laborers relying solely on minimum wage,” said Labor and Social Security Minister Vedat Bilgin, who hosted the meeting in Ankara.

“We will determine a minimum wage to protect labor against inflation and economic fluctuations,” he added.

Employers want limited increase

The Labor and Social Security Ministry has conducted a large-scale survey among laborers and employers, said Bilgin.
Slightly more than a third of the respondents among the employers favored the new minimum wage to stay between 3,500

Turkish Liras (nearly $264) and 3,750 liras ($282.8), while 20 percent of them suggested a minimum wage between 3,250 liras ($245.5) and 3,500 liras ($264), according to the minister’s remarks.

Currently, the base minimum wage - which varies in accordance with martial status and the number of dependants - is 2,825 liras ($213.6).

The second minimum wage commission meeting will be held at the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TÜRK-İŞ) on Dec. 7.