Minimum wage negotiations start today! Who is demanding what?

The recent economic downturn in Turkey keeps the minimum wage debate on the agenda. Various ideas and minimum wage requirements have been discussed for a long time. On the other hand, the minimum wage directly affects millions of workers and indirectly affects all of Turkey. Last year saw one of the largest minimum wage increases in history, with the minimum wage increased to TL 5,500 net. However, despite this historic growth, the financial hardship of the minimum wage worker could not be resolved due to high inflation. For this reason, millions of minimum wage workers demanded a major improvement in the minimum wage in the new era.

Here, with today’s meeting of the Minimum Wage Commission, begins the process of setting the minimum wage in 2023, which millions of people are looking forward to. The commission, which will include 5 representatives of workers, employers and the government, will meet today at the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. The second meeting of the commission will take place on December 14. So, what are the agenda items for today’s meeting? What do the worker, employer and government say about the minimum wage for 2023 and who demands how much? Let’s look at the details together…

At today’s meeting of the Minimum Wage Commission, workers’ and employers’ representatives will discuss their demands.

It is reported that at today’s meeting of the commission committee of 15 people, representatives of the workers will present reports on the line of hunger and poverty. As part of the negotiations, it is expected that a roadmap for the process of determining the minimum wage for 2023 will be created taking into account the views and statements of the parties.

On the other hand, Minister of Labor and Social Protection Vedat Bilgin stated that they have conducted a survey on the minimum wage as a ministry in recent weeks and in this survey they will try to know the expectations of workers working in small, medium and large enterprises and employers, as well as well as other citizens in relation to the minimum wage. It is reported that data on this issue will also be included in the agenda of the Commission to determine the minimum wage.

On the other hand, the next meeting of the commission will take place on December 14. Finally, the new minimum wage is scheduled to be announced by the end of December, as was the case last year. So what are the requirements? Who will say anything about the new minimum wage?

The Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TÜRK-İŞ), which represents the working class in the Minimum Wage Commission, has announced that proposals below 7,785 liras will not be evaluated.

Ergün Atalay, chairman of TÜRK-İŞ, stated that the minimum wage in the new period should be at least 7,785 lira in a television program he recently attended. “We cannot accept a figure below that. This figure is a red line. We will not be at the negotiating table on a topic below this figure.‘ made a statement. However, Atalay’s announcement provoked a reaction from millions of minimum wage recipients.

Because 7785 lira, which the president of TÜRK-İŞ defined as a red line, was the starvation limit set by the confederation! Atalay, who made a new statement about the reaction, said:They tried to give the impression that we accept the hunger limit as the minimum wage. When I was asked at the negotiating table, I wanted to say that the limit of hunger is in the middle, and I will talk about it.” used words. Atalay’s words “May our workers rest in peace, we will fight the best we can.” continued in the form. Accordingly, it can be assumed that TÜRK-İŞ, which will represent minimum wage workers in the negotiations to determine the minimum wage in 2023, will require an amount of more than 7,785 lira for the new minimum wage.

Each union has its own requirements before negotiations

For example, Arzu Çerkezoğlu, chairman of the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers’ Unions (DISK), recently stated that the minimum wage in the new year should be at least 13,200 Turkish liras. The Confederation of Trade Unions for Human Rights Defenders (HAK-İŞ) said that the minimum wage should be at least 10,000 Turkish liras in the new year. Nakliyat-İş, a subsidiary of DİSK, announced that its expectations are 14,800 lira. In short, millions of minimum wage earners and many unions have come to the consensus that a minimum wage earner cannot live on his current salary. However, different unions have different expectations for the new minimum wage.

The employer’s representative, the Turkish Confederation of Employers’ Associations (TİSK), announced that the new minimum wage should be reasonable.

In his speech at the 28th Ordinary General Assembly of TİSK, Ozgur Burak Akkol, Chairman of the Board of Directors of TİSK, stated that the minimum wage should be at a reasonable level. Akkol, “The minimum wage is the base wage. It must be reasonable. We encourage our employers who have the opportunity and the power to pay more.‘ made a statement.

Statements were also made from the government wing ahead of a meeting to be held to set the minimum wage for 2023.

At the 28th regular general assembly of TİSK, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Bilgin made statements closely related to the minimum wage. Speaking about the importance of an agreement between an employee and an employer, Erdogan said:We acted in agreement with the employers on the minimum wage. We have recently partnered with our employers from setting minimum wages to determining tax brackets. As we all know, social unrest is inevitable when dialogue between workers and employers is weak and relationships are unhealthy.” he said.

Minister Vedat Bilgin recently said:The workers of Turkey must be sure that we will not overwhelm them with inflation.‘ made a statement. Bilgin has responded to criticism that the minimum wage has become the average wage at the regular TİSK General Assembly held yesterday. For this reason, the scientistThere is criticism that the minimum wage has become the base wage. The minimum wage rate is about 37 percent. Criticism based on ignorance.He also stated that real and nominal wages have been adjusted following the increase in the minimum wage. Bilgin recently announced that they are following a minimum wage policy that raises the average.

Opposition parties say minimum wage should be significantly increased

Deputy Chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Seyit Torun, said that the salary in the new year should be above 10,000 liras. IYI party spokesman Kurshad Zorlu said that only a salary of TL 9,600 could be considered reasonable.

Behind the scenes of Ankara, they say that the new minimum wage will not be lower than 8-9 thousand lira.

This is what many residents are looking forward to. On the other hand, some journalists and economists believe that in the new period, the minimum wage may exceed 9 or even 10 thousand lire.

Many experts believe that the new increase will not make sense if the economic downturn continues.

Because, according to many experts, the depreciation of TL will continue due to inflation and the cost of living in the coming period. For this reason, raising the minimum wage is not yet the right solution.

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