Page 26 - TURKRptJul22

4.4 Labour and income 4.4.1 Income dynamics
The minimum wage, which was increased by 50% at the end of 2021, was again hiked by 30% to TRY 5,500.
Turkey’s government is considering a mid-year wage hike of 40% for civil servants.
Turkish companies are planning to offer supplementary mid-year pay rises of between 10% to 30% to employees.
Some companies await the government’s decision on the minimum wage while other companies have already improved side benefits, such as transport and food allowances.
Companies operating in the chemicals sector were expected to hike salaries by 35%. Salaries in the sector were increased by between 40% to 50%.
Garment workers in Turkey who earn the legal minimum pay actually receive just one-quarter of what would constitute a living wage.
Field research conducted by Clean Clothes Campaign Turkey shows that workers, who make clothes for Western brands including Adidas, Gap, H&M, Levi Strauss and Zara owner Inditex, are barely able to sustain themselves.
Interviews with 138 workers in Istanbul and Izmir were last October conducted for the investigation.
A living wage is defined as the wage a worker must receive within the bounds of a legal workday to sufficiently lead a decent life. It should cover basic food needs (3,000 calories per day for an adult), clothing, health, education, rent, transportation and savings for a family. The International Labour Organization decrees a living wage a basic human right.
While the situation with low wages has been a persistent problem since Turkey became a major fashion exporter in the 1980s, conditions have worsened in recent years.
“The state gives incentives to employers, but it doesn’t control the
26 TURKEY Country Report July 2022 www.intellinews.com