Average wages in foodservice, construction sectors lower than minimum wage in Turkey

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The Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey Research Center (DİSK-AR) has released a report assessing the 2020 Labor Cost Statistics report of the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat).

Between 2012 and 2020, the consumer prices increased by 221 percent whereas the average gross monthly salary increased by 197 percent, the DİSK-AR noted.

The currency crisis and high inflation in 2021 are not included in the report, the research center underlined.

Average wages lower than the minimum wage

In the sectors of accommodation, foodservice and construction, the average gross wage was lower than the minimum wage in 2020, said the DİSK-AR.

The gross minimum wage was 2,943 lira this year whereas the average monthly wage was 2,109 lira in the sectors of accommodation and foodservice and 2,320 lira in the construction sector (1 US dollar = 13.07 Turkish lira).

The average wage in the real estate sector was 71 lira lower than the minimum wage and was 13 lira lower in other service activities.

In the wholesale and retail sector, the average wage was 286 lira higher than the minimum wage.

Minimum wage is becoming the average wage

The average wage in the country has become closer to the minimum wage in recent years, the DİSK-AR underlined.

The average gross wage was 2,053 lira in 2012, 3,106 lira in 2016 and 4,050 lira in 2020 whereas the minimum wage was 887 lira in 2012, 1,647 lira in 2016 and 2,943 lira in 2020.

The average wage was 2.3 times the minimum wage in 2012 and was 1.4 times the minimum wage in 2021.

"Increasing other wages less than the minimum wage causes the gap between the minimum wage and other wages to narrow. Thus, the minimum wage is becoming not the minimum wage but the average wage," said the DİSK-AR.

CLICK - 'Minimum wage for all'

CLICK - 'Turkey is becoming a country of minimum wage earners'

Union workers earn more

Union workers and and workers covered by a collective bargaining agreement earn 61.5 percent more than non-union workers, according to the TurkStat figures.

The average gross monthly salary of workers covered by a collective bargaining agreement was 7.124 lira whereas non-union workers earn an average gross salary of 4,412 lira. (HA/VK)