Minimum wage hike not sufficient amid 'deep economic crisis,' says DİSK union confederation

DİSK members demanding a minimum wage of 5,200 lira during a demonstration. (Photo: DİSK)

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The 50 percent minimum wage rise announced today (December 16) will not remedy the situation of workers amid the economic crisis, the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) has stated.

The minimum wage has been increased by about 50 percent for the next year, up from 2,850 to 4,250 Turkish lira. The DİSK has demanded a minimum wage of 5,200 lira (1 USD = 15.66 TRY).

What is important was not the percentage of the wage rise but whether the minimum wage is sufficient for workers and their families to make a living, DİSK Chair Arzu Çerkezoğlu said in a written statement.

"It is not meaningful to talk about the rate of increase in the minimum wage without taking into account the deep economic crisis that we are going through, the high depreciation of the Turkish lira and the terribly high living costs.

"It is not possible to make a living with the announced minimum wage. A large part of the minimum wage hike has already gone away because of high living costs. There is no real wage hike. The minimum wage hike is far from compensating for the loss of purchasing power.

"In January 2021, the minimum wage was worth 386 dollars. The increased minimum wage for 2022 is worth 275 dollars. Workers lost 110 dollars even with the increased wage." (HA/VK)