Urgent call for immediate pay increase made during union visits by Özel
Turkey's main opposition leader, Ozgur Ozel from the Republican People's Party (CHP), has called for an interim increase in the minimum wage, scheduled for July. His appeal follows meetings with trade unions and employer associations, as part of a series of discussions aimed at securing a mid-year pay raise.
The initial 30% hike at the start of the year, raising the minimum wage to 22,104 Turkish Liras (approx. $565), has already been eroded by inflation, Ozel noted during his visit to the Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions of Turkey (DISK) in Ankara. He contrasted the situation in Turkey with Germany, where the minimum wage represents approximately 9% of total wages and is typically a transitional step for workers.
Ozel also accused the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) of underreporting inflation, stating that inaccurate inflation figures undermine the purchasing power of citizens. During his visit to the Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations (TISK), he assured that he would address employers' concerns and present a model that would benefit both workers and employers.
The CHP leader called for workers to organize into unions, arguing that labor unionization helps elevate workers above the minimum wage. He emphasized the importance of unity, saying, "Let's put politics aside and demand bread." Failing to increase the minimum wage in July would amount to "government suicide," Ozel warned.
In the past, the government has implemented interim hikes to counter inflation, but it did not do so in the previous year. The minimum wage increased significantly between 2023 and 2024, as reflected in the sharp wage adjustments that occurred during that time. (Source: Various data sources, including a 2025 newsletter from the Minimum Wage Determination Commission, which announced a minimum wage increase effective from July 1, 2023.) The exact new figure for July 2023 is not specified in the sources, but it is confirmed that a considerable increase was decided around that time.
- The ongoing calls for a minimum wage increase by Turkey's main opposition leader, Ozgur Ozel, are rooted in his observations of the erosion of the initial increase due to inflation and his comparisons with Germany's policy-and-legislation regarding minimum wages that form a part of general-news discussions.
- As July approaches, Ozgur Ozel's persistent demand for an interim hike in the minimum wage is not only a political issue but also a matter of workers' livelihoods, as failure to act could potentially lead to significant consequences that could be detrimental to the government, as he has warned.
