Turkey raises minimum wage by 34 percent to 11,402 liras

Duvar English

Turkey has increased the minimum wage by 34 percent for the second half of 2023, from 8,500 liras to 11,402 liras ($483). 

The figure was announced by Labor and Social Security Minister Vedat Işıkhan following the third meeting of the Minimum Wage Determination Commission, a special commission tasked to determine a hike in the minimum wage for more than 7 million workers in the country.

“We have strived to determine the minimum wage in a way both to please the workers and also protect employment,” said Minister Işıkhan on June 20.

Accordingly, the net minimum wage became 11,402 liras whereas the gross minimum wage became 13,414 liras. The gross minimum wage indicates how much it costs an employer to hire a minimum wage earner, including the company’s contribution to social security premium and unemployment insurance fund.

Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-İş) Chairman Ergün Atalay thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and said, “For the last 13 days, the sides are conducting a hard work. Today, we have come to the final point and Mr. Minister released the figure. There is a hike of 34 percent at the point we arrived today. Hopefully, inflation comes to a certain point so that our purchasing power stays intact. Our wish is that prices in the bazaar and market are brought under control, otherwise, these raises lose their meaning.”

Erdoğan had held a meeting with Atalay at the Justice and Development Party (AKP) headquarters on June 19. After this meeting, Atalay had gone to the Labor and Social Security Ministry where he held talks with Minister Işıkhan and Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations (TİSK) Chairman Özgür Burak Akkol.