The Turkish Trade Union President Atalay was asked: Which of the proposed wages will you accept?

The President of the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-İş), Ergün Atalay, stated that they do not accept the actual or expected inflation as an offer in the minimum wage negotiations that will begin next week, and that they demand a wage worthy of human dignity.

Atalay said in a press conference he held today before the minimum wage negotiations starting on December 10 that approximately 9 million workers will be directly affected. Atalay stated that he does not accept the inflation target of 21% by the end of 2025, MÜSİAD's proposal of 25%, the expected inflation rate of 44% by the end of this year, and the revaluation rate of 43.93% for the minimum wage increase.

"WE DO NOT FIND THE FIGURES MENTIONED APPROPRIATE"

Atalay, who said, "We do not find the figures mentioned so far appropriate," stated that they will take the average of the figures determined by four minimum wage earners this year in their minimum wage proposal.

"WE DO NOT TRUST TÜİK DATA"

Atalay, who said, "The minimum wage is not the cause of inflation," added, "There has been no increase in the minimum wage for a year, but prices continue to rise... Thus, we have seen that the minimum wage is not the cause of inflation. A live example is 2024." He also stated that he does not think the minimum wage can be adjusted according to both actual and expected inflation and that he does not trust TÜİK data.

In response to a question about which wage they would accept, Atalay replied, "A wage that allows the worker to live with human dignity." The general expectation in the markets is that the minimum wage will be increased by around 25% for 2025, but there are also expectations for a higher increase.

MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE SCENARIOS

The minimum wage was increased by 49.11% in January last year, rising to 17,002 lira.

• If a 25% increase is made in January, the new minimum wage will be 21,252 lira.
• If the Central Bank's target increase of 44% is applied, it will reach 24,483 lira.
• If the TCMB's target increase of 21% for 2025 is applied, it will rise to 20,572 lira.
• If a 26% increase, which is the upper limit for 2025, is applied, it will be 21,422 lira.
• If a 30% increase is made to the minimum wage, it will rise to 22,102 lira.
• If a 40% increase is made, the new minimum wage will reach 23,802 lira.
• If the Medium-Term Program (OVP) inflation target of 41.5% is applied, it will exceed 24,000 lira.
• If a 17.5% increase, which is the inflation target for 2025 in the OVP, is applied, it will rise to 19,977 lira.