Unions Advocate for a 'Humane Life' Wage
Turkish labor unions are pressing for a substantial increase in the 2026 minimum wage, emphasizing the need for a 'humane life' wage that extends beyond basic necessities. The Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) announced its demands on December 1, 2025, proposing that the minimum wage for 2026 should be approximately 40,000 Turkish Liras (TRY). DİSK suggests indexing the minimum wage to at least 60 percent of per capita GDP and calls for mechanisms to periodically review and adjust wages in real-time, with at least twice-yearly updates until inflation falls to single-digit figures.
The unions argue that the current net minimum wage of 22,104.67 TRY per month, set for 2025, has been severely eroded by inflation. According to DİSK-AR's data from May 2025, the hunger threshold for a four-person family stood at 23,615 TRY, while the poverty line reached 81,686 TRY. Türk-İş's November calculations further indicate the poverty line for a family of four has risen to 97,000 TRY per month, highlighting the significant gap between the current minimum wage and the cost of living.
Boycott of the Minimum Wage Determination Commission
The process for determining the 2026 minimum wage, which typically involves the Minimum Wage Determination Commission, faces a significant challenge as two of Turkey's largest labor confederations, the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-İş) and the Confederation of Turkish Real Trade Unions (HAK-İŞ), have announced their boycott of the upcoming talks.
The commission is a tripartite body comprising 15 members: five representatives each from the government, employers, and workers. Decisions are made by a majority vote. Türk-İş President Ergün Atalay stated in late 2024 that the confederation would not participate in the 2026 talks unless 'a fair adjustment' is made to the commission's structure, citing 50 years of workers being outvoted. HAK-İŞ echoed this sentiment, confirming its non-participation due to the 'unjust' decision-making process.
Economic Pressures and Eroding Purchasing Power
The unions' demands come against a backdrop of persistent high inflation in Turkey. The annual inflation rate eased to 31.07 percent in November 2025, a decrease from 32.87 percent in October, marking the lowest reading since November 2021. However, inflation had peaked at 75.5 percent in May 2024. The central bank has forecast year-end inflation to be between 31-33 percent.
DİSK-AR calculations reveal that the minimum wage lost 6,322 TRY in real value during the first 10 months of 2025. If the official year-end inflation reaches the projected 33.8 percent, the total loss in purchasing power for a minimum-wage earner throughout 2025 could exceed 50,000 TRY. This means that the real value of the income being discussed for the 2026 minimum wage has effectively fallen to around 14,000 TRY.
Outlook for the 2026 Minimum Wage
The Minimum Wage Determination Commission is expected to convene in December 2025 to finalize the new minimum wage for 2026, with the decision slated to take effect on January 1, 2026. This decision will directly impact approximately 7 million employees in Turkey and will have broader implications for the country's economic balance. The absence of major worker confederations from the negotiation table underscores the deep divisions and the urgency of addressing the erosion of workers' purchasing power.
5 Comments
Africa
Unions are right to fight for a humane life. Our purchasing power is gone.
Bermudez
The current wage is a joke. 40,000 TRY is the bare minimum for survival.
ZmeeLove
Who will pay for this? Small businesses can't absorb such costs.
Habibi
Boycotting negotiations achieves nothing. They need to be at the table.
Muchacha
While workers clearly need a wage increase to cope with inflation, a jump to 40,000 TRY seems incredibly steep. It's a tough balance between living wages and economic stability for businesses.