Critical minimum wage talks to begin on Dec 10

ANKARA

A commission of workers, employers, and government representatives will meet for the first time on Dec. 10 to decide the minimum wage for 2025.

The announcement of the meeting date on Nov. 29 highlights the significant impact on 7 million workers, as changes to the minimum wage will also affect other salaries, indirectly influencing the entire country.

The meeting, organized by the Labor and Social Security Ministry, will feature the Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations (TİSK) representing employers, while the largest trade union confederation, TÜRK-İŞ, will represent workers.

Currently, the gross minimum wage for a worker is approximately 20,000 Turkish Liras per month, with deductions bringing the net amount to 17,000 liras.

“We hope the talks will lead to an agreed-upon figure that satisfies all parties,” Labor and Social Security Minister Vedat Işıkhan expressed on Nov. 14 during a discussion about his ministry’s 2025 budget in parliament.

Işıkhan highlighted that the minimum wage had increased by 254 percent in real terms from 184 liras in 2002 to 17,002 liras this year (around $495).

“We are aiming for a wage level that all stakeholders can support, without jeopardizing the stability of our economy,” he added.

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has argued that the minimum wage should be at least 30,000 liras.

Due to soaring inflation, the minimum wage was raised twice in 2022 and 2023. Many employers anticipate a 25 percent increase in the upcoming year. Should this prediction come to fruition, the new minimum wage would reach approximately 21,250 liras for millions of workers.