The minimum wage, which is the misery wage, was not even enough for the kitchen cost of a family of four. A family of four, who has to live on minimum wage, "can live a life worthy of human dignity" only for 9 days!
August results of the “Hunger and Poverty Line” survey conducted by Türk-iş Confederation on a monthly basis has been announced. According to the research, the monthly food expenditure amount that a family of 4 needs to make in order to have a healthy, balanced and adequate nutrition, that is, the hunger limit, is 2 thousand 383 TL this month, while it is obligatory to do for clothing, housing, transportation, education, health and similar needs together with food expenditure. The total amount of other monthly expenditures, ie the poverty line, was determined as 7 thousand 764 TL. The "cost of living" of a single employee was calculated as 2 thousand 891 TL per month.
THE EXPENSE OF LIFE CONTINUES
In the statement made by the Board of Directors of Türk-İş regarding the research, it was pointed out that the level of compulsory spending and the problem of cost of living continues due to the fact that the monthly incomes of millions of employees and retirees are at or below the minimum wage level. According to the research, it was stated that food prices did not increase as a general trend in June, July and August and this situation positively affected kitchen spending.
FOOD INFLATION INCREASED IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS
According to the results of the research, which also includes data on kitchen inflation, "the minimum expenditure amount" for food "for a family of four living in Ankara decreased by 0.94 percent compared to the previous month. As of the first eight months of the year, the increase in prices was 10.22 percent. The rate of increase in food inflation for the last twelve months was 15.79 percent. The annual average rate of increase was calculated as 12.67 percent".
THE MINIMUM WAGE BELOW THE HUNGER LIMIT
In the study, it was pointed out that the monthly food expenditure of a family of four, ie kitchen expenses, increased by 221 TL in the first eight months of the year compared to the end of the previous year, and the total expenditure for basic needs increased by 720 TL. As of the last year, the additional expenditure requirement was calculated as 325 TL for food and 1.059 TL for total household expenditure. In the study, which pointed out that a family of four does not even meet the hunger limit, which is the amount of compulsory food expenditure, it was stated that "The minimum wage is sufficient for only 9 days of a month for a family of four to live a life worthy of human dignity."