Minimum wage in Turkey in 2021: 2,825 lira

* Photo: Evrim Aydın / AA

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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. 

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In the previous meeting of the Minimum Wage Commission on December 22, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), the state agency commissioned with producing official statistics on the country, also announced the minimum subsistence level of a single worker, as it calculated it.

According to the calculations of the TurkStat, a non-married worker doing hard labor needs a minimum of 2,792.10 Turkish Lira (~366 USD) to make a living in a month. While the minimum subsistence level of a worker doing a medium job has been calculated by the Institute as 2,507.70 TRY, it is reportedly 2,339.10 TRY for a worker doing a light job.

CLICK - TurkStat says minimum wage should be 2,792 lira

Minimum wage in Turkey over the years

Following the minimum wage talks last year, the minimum wage was increased by 15.03 percent, which was 3 points higher than the official inflation rate announced by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat).

Accordingly, with this pay rise, the minimum wage was increased from 2,020.90 TRY to 2,234.70 TRY for an unmarried worker.

As for the net minimum wages in Turkey in the previous years, it was 1,603 TRY in 2018, 1,404 TRY in 2017 and 1,300 TRY in 2016. While the net minimum wage was 949 TRY as of January 2015, it was increased to 1,000 TRY as of July 2015. While the net minimum wage was 773 TRY and 803 TRY as of January and July 2013 respectively, it was then increased to 846 TRY as of January 2014 and to 891 TRY as of July 2014.

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How is the new wage determined?

The pay rise to be made in the monthly minimum wage next year is decided by the Minimum Wage Determination Commission headed by Turkey's Minister of Family, Labor and Social Services.

The commission consists of 15 members: Five members are appointed to represent the government, five people by the Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations (TİSK) and five people by the TÜRK-İŞ, the largest labor confederation of the country, to represent the workers.

While the majority of votes of these 15 members is enough in determining the minimum wage, the first meeting is held at the Ministry, the second and third meetings are hosted by the representatives of employers and workers respectively and the fourth and last meeting is again held at the Ministry.

In the event of a tie in the final vote, the vote of the commission chair determines the new minimum wage. (HA/SD)