Ergün Atalay: Minimum Wage Should Be a Living Wage, Fair Determination is Essential
Türk-İş President Ergün Atalay gave important messages at a meeting with members of the Economy Reporters Association (EMD) ahead of the minimum wage commission talks that will start on December 10. Atalay stated that the minimum wage has become a living wage and invited employers’ organizations and the government to take responsibility to determine a fairer wage.
“Can you live on this wage for a week?”
Atalay reacted harshly to the statement of Mahmut Asmalı, President of MÜSİAD, “An increase of more than 25 percent in the minimum wage is not right.” Calling for a more realistic approach to employers’ organizations, Atalay used the following statements:
“The minimum wage has now become a living wage. Can you live for a week with this wage? Employers’ organizations should come up with a solution by considering how people will live with their families. A wage that is enough to live like a human being must be determined.”
The Link Between Inflation and Minimum Wage
Emphasizing that the perception that minimum wage increases cause inflation is not true, Atalay said, “The minimum wage increased only once in 2024, but this did not prevent inflation from falling. Rumors that minimum wage increases inflation do not reflect the truth,” Atalay said.
Stating that they expect to see the proposals of both the government and the employer side during the negotiations, Atalay said that Türk-İş will share its own proposal in this process.
“Fair wages are essential for social peace”
Ergün Atalay said that taking into account the demands of the labor sector in determining the minimum wage is critical for social peace. “A fair wage is necessary for the welfare of not only workers but also all segments of society,” he said. Atalay emphasized that a wage that will enable people to live humanely should be determined.
Minimum Wage Commission Talks Begin
Negotiations to determine the minimum wage will begin on December 10. These meetings, which will be attended by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, employers’ organizations and workers’ representatives, are critical for clarifying the new figure that will determine the salaries of millions of workers. At the end of the negotiations, the minimum wage for 2024 is expected to be announced.
Expectations of the Labor Sector
Atalay stated that Türk-İş will demand a wage that will enable workers to live humanely in the commission negotiations. He stated that workers’ income level should be protected, especially in the face of the recent increase in the cost of living and inflation.
In conclusion, Türk-İş President Ergün Atalay’s statements point to the need to adopt a fairer approach in the process of determining the minimum wage. The new wage will be determined by blending the proposals of employer and government representatives with the demands of the labor sector.
