03.12.2025 09:50
The minimum wage marathon is starting. The Ministry of Labor and Social Security has initiated work to restructure the Minimum Wage Determination Commission, which sets the minimum wage, by reducing the number of government representatives while keeping the number of 5 worker and 5 employer members fixed.
The process regarding the minimum wage negotiations, which concern millions of workers, has officially begun to accelerate. The Ministry of Labor and Social Security has taken an important step to reorganize the structure of the Minimum Wage Determination Commission.
The current structure, which consists of a 15-member commission with 5 representatives each from workers, employers, and the government, will be changed with the new regulation. According to the 'interim formula' on the Ministry's agenda, the worker and employer sides will still be represented by 5 members each, but the number of government representatives will be reduced to as low as 1. This regulation aims to strengthen the arbitration role of the members representing the government within the commission.
TÜRK-İŞ: LET'S SEE THE OFFICIAL LETTER FIRST
Following TÜRK-İŞ's criticisms of the commission, TÜRK-İŞ President Ergün Atalay made a statement regarding the accelerated discussions about the structure, stating that he had met with Minister of Labor Vedat Işıkhan. He said, "The Minister stated that they would issue a decree or an official letter regarding the structure of the commission. Let's see that letter first. We will evaluate it together with the Board of Presidents and the management at that time. There is no point in talking before the letter arrives." Atalay also emphasized that the restructuring of the commission has been a long-standing demand of TÜRK-İŞ.
MINISTER IŞIKHAN: THE COMMISSION WILL MEET SOON
After the cabinet meeting, Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan answered questions from journalists, stating that the minimum wage negotiations would begin very soon. Işıkhan made the following statement: "The minimum wage is determined not by the government, but by the Minimum Wage Determination Commission. The commission will meet soon. We want to see all parties at the table. We will soon send our official letters to the worker and employer confederations."
Minister Işıkhan emphasized that the commission is one of the most important mechanisms of social dialogue and stated that it is critical for all three parties to participate in the process.
MEETING DATE NOT YET CONFIRMED
The exact date of the commission meetings has not yet been announced. However, it has been stated that the ministry is preparing to send official letters, and the negotiations are expected to begin in the first half of December.
In determining the minimum wage:
- 4-month inflation data
- Inflation figures for November and December
- Economic balances
- Employer costs
- Employees' living conditions will play a critical role.
This year, the change in the structure of the commission has become one of the most important topics of the process, alongside the rate of increase.