Minimum Wage Committee Sets Next Meeting For 8 July

The session, chaired by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Sezgi Çobanoğlu Ballı, lasted approximately one hour.

Representatives from the Free Workers Federation (Hür-İş), including President Ahmet Serdaroğlu and Secretary-General Ali Yeltekin, participated in the meeting, alongside employer representatives Sercan Görgüner Bahçeci and Metin Oral, as well as other committee members.

Ballı: “A balanced and data-driven process is required”

Ballı said the committee convened following a request submitted by the Free Workers Federation on 15 June.

She stressed that setting the minimum wage is not merely about determining a figure, but about balancing workers’ living standards with business sustainability.

Ballı noted that, internationally, minimum wage decisions are based on multiple indicators such as inflation, cost of living, economic growth, productivity, unemployment levels, business capacity, and overall economic conditions.

She added that a healthy system must be based on social dialogue, data-driven analysis, and objective criteria.

Highlighting that the cost-of-living index is one of the key legal benchmarks, Ballı said the absence of an official inflation figure for the relevant period meant the meeting was held as a preliminary assessment.

“Our aim is to reach a fair and balanced decision that protects workers’ purchasing power, allows businesses to continue operating, and reflects the realities of the national economy,” she said.

Employers’ side: “New representatives to be appointed”

Employer representative Sercan Görgüner Bahçeci said the meeting was called at short notice and noted that some employer members had previously requested to step down.

He added that new employer representatives would be appointed later in the day, meaning the employer side was currently represented by only two members.

Serdaroğlu: “Cost-of-living increases are not wage hikes”

Free Workers Federation President Ahmet Serdaroğlu said they presented data-based arguments during the meeting.

He argued that minimum wage adjustments should not be seen as wage increases, but as compensation for rising living costs.

“The cost of living is what is being created. What we receive is not an increase, it is cost-of-living compensation,” he said.

Serdaroğlu also said that solutions were needed both for workers and struggling businesses, but insisted that keeping wages low was not the answer.

He warned that if discussions remain disconnected from economic reality, social and political problems would continue.

He confirmed that the next meeting is expected to take place on Wednesday at 10:00 next week, pending official confirmation from the ministry.