20.12.2025 14:45
As the days count down to the determination of the minimum wage for 2026, the work of the Minimum Wage Determination Commission continues. The absence of the worker representatives in the commission is noteworthy, while the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Vedat Işıkhan's contacts with the unions and his statement, "I believe we will reach an agreement at a common point," have increased expectations for the possibility of an "additional raise."
There is very little time left to determine the minimum wage figure for 2026, which will affect the raise that millions of people will receive at the New Year. While the decision from the commission, from which the worker side has withdrawn, is eagerly awaited, the expectations for the raise rate have increased after Labor Minister Vedat Işıkhan stated that they would carry out the process through dialogue and subsequently visited the unions to gather their demands.
Intensive work is ongoing to determine the amount that will enter the pockets of low-income earners and salaried workers whose salaries are indexed to the minimum wage, while the possibility of an 'additional raise' is said to be on the table.
EXCITING 'ADDITIONAL RAISE' IN MINIMUM WAGE EMERGED
The Minimum Wage Determination Commission held its second meeting this week, chaired by the General Director of Labor Oğuz Tuncay. Turkish-İş, representing the worker side, did not attend the 1.5-hour meeting, while government representatives and representatives from TİSK, representing the employer side, were present.
During the meeting, representatives from the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, the Ministry of Commerce, and TÜİK shared economic data and reports regarding the inflation raise. Scenarios regarding what the raise could be based on the data were also discussed at the meeting.
Before the second meeting, Labor Minister Vedat Işıkhan first visited TÜRK-İŞ and met with General President Ergün Atalay. After the meeting, Işıkhan emphasized that they would continue the social dialogue process, stating, "The figures that will come to the commission. I will convey the information I received from employers, the public, and workers to our General Director of Labor, and the commission will defend these. We will reach a common point that will not allow our workers to be crushed by inflation while also not hindering the development of our employers," he said.
14% INFLATION DIFFERENCE FROM LAST YEAR CAME TO THE TABLE
According to a report by Sabah, Minister Işıkhan later joined the ongoing meeting of the Minimum Wage Determination Commission to convey the demands of the worker side. Işıkhan communicated all data and demands from the worker side, primarily the 14% inflation difference carried over from the previous year.
MINIMUM WAGE RAISE SCENARIOS
20%
If a 20% raise is made to the minimum wage, the net wage will rise to 26,584 TL, and the gross wage will increase to 31,206 TL.
25%
In the case of a 25% increase, the net minimum wage for 2026 is calculated to be 27,630 TL, while the gross wage is estimated to be 32,506 TL.
28.5%
In the scenario of a 28.5% increase, according to the inflation forecast for the end of 2025 specified in the Medium-Term Program (OVP), the net wage is expected to be 28,404 TL, and the gross wage is anticipated to be 33,417 TL.
30%
In a scenario of a 30% raise, the net minimum wage for 2026 is expected to be 28,735 TL, while the gross wage is anticipated to be 33,807 TL.
35%
In the case of a 35% increase, it is projected that the net wage will reach 29,841 TL, and the gross wage will be 35,107 TL.
40%
In the case of a 40% raise, it is estimated that the net minimum wage will rise to 30,946 TL, and the gross wage will reach 36,407 TL in 2026.