Following the announcement of the minimum wage as 22,104 TL, TÜRK-İŞ President Ergün Atalay announced that they will not attend the meetings unless a fair arrangement is made.
Minimum Wage Reaction from TÜRK-İŞ: We Will Not Attend Commission Meetings
The minimum wage of 22,104 TL for 2025 was found insufficient by TÜRK-İŞ and was subjected to harsh criticism. TÜRK-İŞ President Ergün Atalay stated that they do not find the functioning of the commission fair and announced that they will not sit at the table again if their demands are not met.
“Minimum Wage Has Become a Living Wage”
Atalay emphasized that approximately 8 million people in Turkey work for minimum wage and this number is increasing. Stating that the minimum wage used to affect only low-income groups, Atalay said that now more than half of the working population has to live on this wage.
“The minimum wage has become a living wage. Most of our employees struggle to live with this figure. This wage is insufficient in the face of high inflation and our demands are not taken into account,” he said.
TÜRK-İŞ’s Demand was 29 thousand TL
TÜRK-İŞ President reminded that they demanded a wage of 29,583 TL during the commission meetings. However, this demand was ignored, Atalay said, adding that they decided not to attend the meetings as the commission members did not bring a concrete proposal.
“A Raise is Necessary Twice a Year According to Inflation”
Arguing that the minimum wage should be reviewed twice a year during periods of high inflation, Atalay said, “If the demands of workers are not taken into account at this table, there is no point in our being here. We will not participate in the commission until a fair arrangement is made.”
Atalay also pointed out that the decisions at the table should be made by the workers and emphasized that the process should be managed more transparently.
Striking Assessment from TÜRK-İŞ
Ergün Atalay stated that they had made similar criticisms about the minimum wage negotiations in the past and said, “We protested the process by not attending the meetings 22 times in the last 30 years. This year, we withdrew from the table because our demands were not taken into consideration.”
Call to the Government and Employers
Stating that the minimum wage should be re-evaluated, Atalay invited the government and employer representatives to find solutions. “The minimum wage should be updated in accordance with the economic conditions of the country and the inflation difference should be reflected to the employees twice a year. Otherwise, millions of workers will continue to be victimized.”
Commission Decisions Became Controversial
TÜRK-İŞ’s decision not to participate in the commission meetings points to an important crisis in the minimum wage determination process. Union representatives, who argue that the process is being carried out on an unfair basis, state that this decision is a stance in defense of workers’ rights.
