The fourth and final meeting of the Minimum Wage Determination Commission was held today (December 28). Chaired and hosted by Minister of Family, Labor and Social Services Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk, the commission has determined the net and gross minimum wages for 2021.
Accordingly, the gross minimum wage will stand at 3,577.50 Turkish Lira (approx. 477 USD) and the net wage will be 2,825.90 lira (approx. 377 USD).
While Minister Selçuk has said that "the minimum wage has increased by 500 lira or 21.56 percent when compared to the previous year," the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TÜRK-İŞ) Secretary General for Education Nazmi Irgat has said, "The determined minimum wage is insufficient, it is far from meeting the expectations of workers."
In 2020, the gross monthly minimum wage for a single worker has been 2,943 lira and the net wage, with cuts and taxes, has been 2,324.71 lira.
While the net monthly minimum wage of a married worker (with his/her spouse no in workforce) has been set as 2,879.57 lira, it is 2,919.81 lira for a married worker with one child and unemployed spouse, 2,960.06 lira for a worker with two children and an unemployed spose and 3,013.72 lira for a worker with three and more children and unemplyed spouse.
Making a statement as to their demands amid the minimum wage negotiations, the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) underlined that the net minimum wage should be 3,800 lira.
While the TÜRK-İŞ indicated that the minimum wage should not be less than 3,000 TRY so that workers could lead a humane life, all three confederations stressed that the wage must be exempt from taxes.
In a statement released by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) earlier in December, it was also indicated that the net minimum wage in the country must be at least 3,100 TRY.