Minimum wage expert: 27.5% increase necessary, 30% net equals 36,500 TL

Concrete figures are beginning to be discussed ahead of negotiations set to begin in December for the 2027 minimum wage. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Okan Güray Bülbül, faculty member at Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University, stated that a 27.5% increase is necessary to compensate workers for their loss of purchasing power against inflation.

Bülbül said "a 27.5% increase must be implemented" and added that this corresponds to 42,000 TL gross and 35,796 TL net. Bülbül, who calculated that a 30% increase scenario would bring the net wage to 36,500 lira, said "a 30% increase may seem proportionally high," but warned that the minimum wage in question has remained below the poverty line since the day it was announced.

Bülbül recalled that the minimum wage has been determined annually for the past two years and that no mid-year adjustment was made in July, emphasizing that the table must be evaluated under these adverse conditions.

The structure of the negotiations remains uncertain. Türk-İş previously stated that it would not participate in the Minimum Wage Determination Commission unless the commission's structure changes. Bülbül said, "In a scenario where Türk-İş is not at the table, there is certainly a possibility that the increase rate will remain low." He also noted that if the current structure does not change, the decision could be made by a 10-member commission composed of government and employer representatives.