Protests continued after the announcement of the minimum wage as 28,075 Turkish liras. The new minimum wage announced by the AKP government has fallen far short of enabling millions of workers to breathe in the face of rising living costs. Determined at a time when inflation, rent, and food prices have reached record levels, the wage remains well below the poverty line. Trade unions and labor organizations emphasize that the announced minimum wage is below the hunger threshold.
Speaking to ANF about the determined minimum wage, Saliha Zorlu, Co-Chair of Eğitim-Sen Amed Branch No. 1, affiliated with the KESK Amed Branches Platform, said: “The new minimum wage did not meet expectations. What has happened is the determination of a minimum wage that will significantly deepen the severe poverty into which Turkey has been dragged.
When the minimum wage was determined in Turkey, the unions representing workers were not at that table. Those who determined the minimum wage did so in line with the demands of international capital groups. In this respect, the government and employers in Turkey met the expectations of international capital. If we also take into account that there are approximately 12 million unemployed people in Turkey, we experienced a wage-setting process that affects more than 11 million workers. There were no union representatives in this process. Workers had already suffered very serious income losses. There had been a significant decline of nearly one-third in purchasing power.”
Zorlu added: “The minimum wage determined today is approximately 1,750 TL below the hunger threshold and three and a half times below the poverty line. This picture is the result of a wage policy that protects capital, not labor.In fact, the gap and disparity in income inequality in Turkey have now widened to a very serious degree. Today, while a very small segment in Turkey is becoming extraordinarily wealthy, more than 80 percent of society is condemned to live below the poverty and hunger thresholds. This situation is a result of neoliberal policies. Under neoliberal policies, the demands of workers and laborers are ignored. How can the highest amount of labor be extracted for the lowest possible wage?”
Zorlu continued: “Neoliberal policies are the outcome of this mindset. This creates a concrete reality in which a household can only reach the poverty line if at least three people are working. Here, employers earn more profit by paying lower wages, and the government acts hand in hand with employers at this point. What needs to happen is that workers truly organize their labor by using the power that comes from labor and production.”
Purchasing power decreasing
Drawing attention to the likelihood that poverty will increase even further next year, Saliha Zorlu said: “I want to talk about the items that concern workers the most: ‘housing’ and ‘food.’ Inflation rates in these categories are rising very seriously. The purchasing power of the people and the poor is decreasing day by day. In particular, TÜİK manipulates the rising inflation rates in favor of the government. Under this inflation crisis, we can say that wages have already fallen very seriously. We foresee next year as one in which we will experience even greater poverty and a deeper crisis.
Of course, we would have liked to enter 2026 with more hope and to be able to offer our people and workers a stronger promise for the future. However, the current economic and political conditions do not allow for such hope.”