12.11.2025 02:19
Millions are watching for the minimum wage increase. Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan stated regarding the minimum wage, "In December, our commission will convene to determine the minimum wage that will be applied in 2026. We hope to reach a consensus on an amount that everyone agrees upon."
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The Minister of Labor and Social Security made a speech regarding the 2026 budget in the TBMM Planning and Budget Commission. Regarding the minimum wage for 2026, which millions of workers are curious about, Işıkhan said, "In December, our commission will convene to determine the minimum wage to be applied in 2026. We hope to reach an agreement on an amount that everyone agrees upon."
THE COMMISSION WILL MEET IN DECEMBER
Recalling that the net minimum wage was raised to 22,104 lira in the last term, Işıkhan stated, "Thus, we have increased the minimum wage, which was 184 lira in 2002, by 223% in real terms. This year, in December, our commission will convene to determine the minimum wage to be applied in 2026. We hope to reach an agreement on an amount that everyone agrees upon. We have raised the minimum wage support, which we started in 2016, to 1,000 lira per month for 2025. In the first 8 months of 2025, we provided approximately 41.6 billion lira in minimum wage support to about 1.5 million workplaces," he said.
Noting that the real increase in the lowest civil servant salary reached 264% from December 2002 to July 2025, Işıkhan stated that a raise of 11+7% will be given to public officials and retirees in 2026, and if there is an inflation difference, it will also be added.
Işıkhan also recalled that a 1,000 lira increase was made to the base monthly salaries of public officials for the first period of 2026, which will affect retirement salaries after a long time.
Stating that the 2025-2026 Public Collective Labor Agreements Framework Protocol was signed after an agreement was reached between the parties regarding the financial and social rights of workers in public institutions and organizations, Işıkhan continued his speech as follows:
"As of the effective start date of the collective labor agreements, the wages of workers with gross monthly salaries below 42,000 lira have been raised to 42,000 lira, and workers with gross monthly salaries of 42,000 lira and above have received a flat increase of 1,200 lira. Additionally, public workers will receive a 24% increase in the first 6 months of 2025, a flat increase of 1,500 lira + 11% in the second 6 months, a 10% increase in the first 6 months of 2026, and a 6% increase in the second 6 months. If an inflation difference occurs, that difference will be added to the increases."
THE COMMISSION WILL MEET IN DECEMBER
The Minimum Wage Determination Commission, which will hold meetings throughout December, will announce the minimum wage to be determined for 2026 at the end of the year. Last year, the minimum wage increase rate was determined to be 30%. The minimum wage for 2025 was set at a gross monthly amount of 26,005 lira and, after deductions, a net amount of 22,104 lira and 67 kuruş.
AN INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN INITIATED
Expressing condolences to those who lost their lives in the fire that occurred on November 8 at a factory in Kocaeli and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured, Işıkhan stated that he visited the scene of the fire to conduct investigations.
Recalling that they have initiated an investigation by assigning a chief inspector and inspectors regarding the incident, Işıkhan said, "On one hand, the administrative process continues, and on the other hand, the judicial process is ongoing simultaneously. For the safety of the investigation, we have suspended a total of 7 personnel together with our İŞKUR and SGK provincial directors. We will follow up on this process. We are doing whatever is necessary to ensure that the investigation is conducted in a healthy manner, to identify those responsible, and to hold them accountable."
Işıkhan stated that the whole world is facing a rapidly changing working life and that the profound changes in the socio-economic field, influenced by technology, are reshaping working life.
Pointing out that phenomena such as digitalization, artificial intelligence, green economy, new working models, and labor mobility are accelerating the global transformation process in labor markets, Işıkhan noted that the need for social protection of workers, especially vulnerable groups worldwide, is increasing, and discussions regarding employment security and working conditions are becoming increasingly important.
"WE HAVE STOOD BY OUR CITIZENS WITH NEARLY 40 BILLION SPENDING IN THE EARTHQUAKE REGION"
Expressing that the targets and priorities he will share in the commission are aimed at realizing a strong, competitive, and inclusive vision of working life for Turkey in this global transformation process, Işıkhan recalled that they have implemented many measures to protect employers and employees in the region following the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, which are described as the "disaster of the century."
Işıkhan shared the following information regarding the steps they took after these earthquakes:
"In the region, we have been alongside our employees and citizens with programs such as short-time work allowance, cash wage support, Community Benefit Program (TYP), and unemployment benefits, with a total spending of nearly 40 billion so far. As a result of all these efforts, the total number of insured employees in the 11 provinces most affected by the earthquake decreased by half from 1,889,000 as of December 2022 before the earthquake, to 2,004,000 according to the most recently published data for August 2025. Thus, I would like to inform you that the recovery in terms of employment and labor in the region has largely been achieved. On the other hand, we extended the restructuring period for our employers and employees in the earthquake region and postponed their premium debts. Finally, we ensured that the deadline for the force majeure periods of our working employers and insured individuals was extended until November 30, 2025."
Stating that they continue to strengthen working life with an approach that increases production, employment, and exports, Işıkhan said, "To ensure a stronger future for our country, we are building our labor market on a dynamic structure that responds to needs and adapts to current conditions."
Işıkhan stated that they are operating the consultation mechanisms in the legislation to ensure the effective use of social dialogue and recalled that they convened the Public Personnel Consultation Board on September 30 and the Tripartite Consultation Board with the agenda of "Promoting Union Organization" on October 9.
He also mentioned that they will hold the 14th Labor Assembly tomorrow with the agenda of "Digital Transformation in Working Life," stating, "As a ministry, we support trade unions, which are the most important stakeholders of social dialogue in working life, and we attach importance to increasing the unionization rate in our country. The unionization rate of workers, which was at 9.21% in 2013, has risen to 14.02% as of 2025."
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In public employees, the unionization rate, which was 47.94% in 2002, has risen to 76.88% by 2025.
"WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUSTAIN OUR PRINCIPLE OF PROTECTING OUR EMPLOYEES AGAINST INFLATION WITH DETERMINATION"
Stating that the share of labor in national income, which was 24.8% in 2002, reached its highest point in history by increasing to 36% in the first half of 2025, Işıkhan said, "Thus, we will continue to sustain our principle of protecting our employees against inflation and providing them with lasting welfare with determination. One of the main priorities of our ministry is to increase decent employment opportunities, continuously improve working conditions, and elevate occupational health and safety (OHS) to the highest standards."
Recalling that they came together with all stakeholders on July 4, 2025, after 8 years in the National Occupational Health and Safety Council, Işıkhan stated that they have started preparations for the 2026-2030 National Occupational Health and Safety Policy Document, which will outline the country's vision in this area.
Indicating that they have included public workplaces and low-risk workplaces with fewer than 50 employees in accordance with the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Law, which came into effect on January 1, 2025, Işıkhan said, "As of the end of 2022, the number of workplaces receiving OHS services was 166,000, and we increased this number to 773,000 by the end of October 2025, approximately five times. As of 2022, the number of employees receiving OHS services was 6 million 400 thousand, and we increased this number to 11 million 538 thousand by the end of October 2025, approximately doubling it."
"AS OF OCTOBER, WE CONDUCTED GUIDANCE AND INSPECTION ACTIVITIES IN 9,921 WORKPLACES"
Stating that approximately 90% of the identified non-compliances in workplaces were corrected during the inspection period thanks to the guidance-based inspection approach applied with 889 labor inspectors in the ministry, Işıkhan noted:
"As of October 2025, we conducted guidance and inspection activities in 9,921 workplaces with a guidance-based approach. In this context, we reached 1 million 207 thousand 422 employees. In the inspections carried out, we ensured the payment of approximately 954 million liras in unpaid wages to workers and the transfer of approximately 540 million liras to the public under the name of tax and social security premiums. We imposed an administrative fine of 1.1 billion liras on workplaces that continued to violate the legislation. When it comes to the sweat and rights of our workers, we take all necessary administrative steps within the framework of our legislation and protect the rights of our workers. Additionally, following the local elections, as a result of the investigations conducted regarding 141 reports and complaints received by our ministry concerning union discrimination, dismissal, and mobbing, we imposed an administrative fine of approximately 66 million liras on municipalities and their affiliates, ensuring the payment of 570 million liras in workers' receivables."
As a ministry, Işıkhan stated that they held the first meeting of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Monitoring and Evaluation Board mentioned in the Presidential Circular published to improve the living conditions of seasonal agricultural workers and their families, and that they conducted regional workshops in Bursa, Bolu, Sivas, Mersin, Ordu, Konya, and Şanlıurfa since the circular came into effect.
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