The true face of May 1st: A day not for celebrating labor, but for questioning livelihoods

Today is May 1st… The day of labor, sweat, and solidarity. However, this year we are entering May 1st not just in the shadow of a celebration, but under the shadow of a harsh economic reality: In Turkey, the issue is no longer just about working, but about being able to make a living by working.

The data released reveals that the return on labor cannot even cover the most basic costs of life; the link between wages and living is rapidly breaking. Although economic debates are often shaped around growth rates, interest rate decisions, and macro indicators, the true balance of life is established in the kitchen. Today, that kitchen reveals a picture that touches life itself, beyond the numbers. The April 2026 Hunger and Poverty Threshold data from TÜRK-İŞ stands before us as the most concrete and striking expression of this picture.

HUNGER AND POVERTY DATA: The Break Between Cost of Living and Wages

TÜRK-İŞ’s April 2026 data reveals the picture facing labor in Turkey with undeniable clarity. The minimum wage of 28,075 TL remains below the hunger threshold of 34,586 TL, which represents only food expenditures. This situation shows that millions of workers are being dragged into a spiral of debt and impoverishment before they can even meet their basic needs.

The hunger threshold, which is the amount of monthly food expenditure required for a family of four to eat healthily, in a balanced and sufficient manner, has reached 34,586 TL. When housing, transportation, education, health, and other mandatory expenses are added, the poverty threshold rises to 112,660 TL. Even the minimum cost of living for a single worker is at the 44,802 TL level.

This picture shows that the gap between income and the cost of living is widening rapidly and that the principle of “making a living by working” is being systematically eroded. The problem has now become a common reality for broad segments of society, not just specific groups.

The trend in kitchen inflation also aggravates this picture. The increase rates, reaching 5.47% monthly and 43.90% annually, create serious pressure on the spending patterns of low-income households. Because food expenditure cannot be postponed; therefore, the harshest impact of inflation is felt directly at the dinner table. In conclusion, a single sentence summarizes the resulting picture:

Millions of workers in Turkey are officially living below the hunger threshold.

INCREASING WAGES, DECREASING LIFE: The Problem Is Not Just Wages

The minimum wage theoretically represents the lowest legal income a worker can earn in exchange for their labor. However, for a long time in Turkey, it has gone beyond this definition; it has become a “reference wage” that effectively determines the basic living standard of millions of workers. For this reason, every change in the minimum wage directly affects not just a narrow segment, but a large part of society.

Although there have been nominal increases in the minimum wage in recent years, what is truly decisive is the real value of these increases against the cost of living. At the point reached today, it is clearly seen that the rate of increase in wages remains behind the prices of basic needs. Indeed, while the increase in the hunger threshold has been around 44% over the last year, the minimum wage increase has been limited to 27%. The approximately 17-point difference between them, beyond being a statistical detail, represents a direct erosion in the standard of living.

In the current situation, the minimum wage of 28,075 TL can cover only about 81% of the food expenditures of a family of four. This means that despite a working individual's full-time labor, they cannot even fully meet their family's most basic need. Therefore, the minimum wage has moved away from being a “livelihood guarantee” and has gradually turned into an “inadequacy threshold.”

The structural dimension of the problem emerges in the prevalence of the minimum wage. In Turkey, the minimum wage is no longer an exceptional wage level; it is an income band that converges toward the average. The fact that a significant portion of workers earn income at or around the minimum wage shows that the middle class is shrinking and that wage distribution is concentrated at the lower band.

This picture points not only to individual income insufficiency but also to a broader problem produced by the economic structure. Because in an economy where wages remain low, domestic demand weakens, household debt increases, and the social welfare balance is disrupted. Consequently, the minimum wage debate today cannot be reduced to just the question of “how much should it be increased?” The real issue is why wages systematically lag behind the cost of living and why labor's share of production is gradually decreasing.

THE MATHEMATICS OF LIFE IS BROKEN: An Open Economy Even in Individual Life

One of the most striking aspects of the picture is that the problem is not limited to the family scale. The calculation made based on the cost of living for a single worker clearly reveals that the current wage level is not sustainable even for an individual living alone.

As of April 2026, while the minimum cost of living for a single worker is calculated at 44,802 TL, the net minimum wage remains at the 28,075 TL level. This situation means a deficit of approximately 16,727 TL right at the beginning of the month. In other words, even an individual living alone cannot finance their own life solely with their labor.

The question of how this deficit is closed leaves us with a social reality as much as an economic one. In practice, this difference is mostly compensated for by three methods: borrowing, giving up consumption, and seeking additional income. While credit cards, personal loans, and deferred payments increase debt, cutting back on nutrition, health, and social expenses directly lowers the quality of life. On the other hand, informal or precarious side jobs extend an individual's working hours but do not increase their welfare.

However, none of these methods is a permanent solution. Because what is at stake here is not just the budget balance, but the sustainability of life. A humane life includes not just surviving, but eating a balanced diet, having healthy housing, participating in social life, and being able to develop oneself. The current wage level systematically excludes a significant portion of these areas. Therefore, the resulting picture expresses much more than an individual “income deficit.” The fact that even a worker living alone cannot cover their cost of living is one of the clearest indicators of how deep and structural the problem in the wage structure is.

KITCHEN INFLATION: The Quietest but Harshest Face of the Crisis

The area where the economic crisis is least visible but most deeply felt is the kitchen. Because food is an expenditure item that cannot be postponed and has limited substitution. Therefore, every increase in prices is directly reflected in the standard of living. According to TÜRK-İŞ’s April 2026 data, kitchen inflation has shown a monthly increase of 5.47%. The previous month, this rate was at the 1.32% level. The annual increase has reached 43.90%. These data point not only to a high level of inflation but also to a trend that is accelerating again in food prices.

More importantly, the impact of this increase on the household budget is felt more heavily than general inflation. Because low-income segments have to allocate a much larger portion of their income to food. Therefore, the increase in food prices for these segments is not just a price movement; it means a direct narrowing of their living space.

As of April 2026, prices for basic food products also concretize this pressure. While the price of 200 grams of bread in Ankara rose to 17.50 TL with a 14.50% increase, the average fruit price was calculated at 131.50 TL per kilogram, and the vegetable price at 94.30 TL. These levels show that healthy and balanced nutrition is becoming increasingly costly.

At this point, an important breaking point emerges: As prices rise, households not only have to consume less; they also turn to products with lower nutritional value. The decrease in meat, dairy, and fresh food consumption lowers nutritional quality in the long run and creates lasting effects on public health. For this reason, food inflation is not just an economic indicator. It is also a matter of quality of life and public health. This narrowing that begins at the table pulls down the general level of social welfare over time. In conclusion, kitchen inflation is the quietest but harshest face of the crisis. Because its effect is not felt in statistics, but directly within life.

THE COMMON LIVELIHOOD REALITY OF MILLIONS: A Social, Not Individual, Problem

The fundamental element that removes the minimum wage debate from being an individual income issue is the size of the number of people who sustain their lives with an income close to this wage level. Because the more widespread the minimum wage is in an economy, the more that country's wage structure is compressed toward the bottom.

According to DİSK-AR data, the number of those working below and just above the minimum wage, that is, in the “minimum wage neighborhood,” is expressed in the millions. Within the private sector workforce, this rate is approaching the 50% level. In more current assessments, it is seen that the rate of those working at or below the minimum wage hovers above 46%, and this rate rises to much higher levels among female workers.

These data show that the minimum wage is no longer an exceptional base wage, but has settled into the center of the wage system. In other words, wage distribution in Turkey has turned into a structure that is not top-down, but concentrated at the bottom.

The macroeconomic consequences of this situation are also quite evident. An income structure concentrated at the minimum wage level limits household consumption capacity; weakens domestic demand and prevents economic growth from turning into social welfare. At the same time, it deepens fragility by increasing household debt.

Therefore, the minimum wage issue is not just a “labor cost” heading. This topic is directly related to income distribution, domestic demand balance, social welfare, and economic sustainability. In an economy where the wage structure is compressed at the bottom, the problem ceases to be an individual livelihood difficulty and turns into an area of structural social fragility.

SILENT COLLAPSE IN PURCHASING POWER: It Is Not the Value of Money, but of Life That Is Falling

In economic debates, focus is often placed on the nominal increase in incomes. However, what is decisive is how many goods and services can be purchased with this income. Therefore, the real issue is not the size of the earnings, but the level of purchasing power. The fundamental problem experienced in Turkey in recent years is that nominal income increases are rapidly eroded by price increases. Wages are rising, but because the cost of living is rising much faster, purchasing power is declining. This situation prevents income growth from turning into a real increase in welfare.

This incompatibility between income and prices is not an economic technical detail; it is a loss felt directly in daily life. Because the household budget is shaped not in statistics, but in the market, in rent, and in bills. At this point, the fundamental truth is this: The issue is no longer how much is earned, but what that earning is enough for. If fewer goods and services can be purchased with the same income, it means economic growth is not producing social welfare.

The weakening of purchasing power does not just change consumption behaviors; it also directly affects the quality of life, savings capacity, and confidence in the future. For this reason, real income loss means social erosion as much as it is economic. When money loses value, in reality, not just numbers, but the standard of living also declines. Although this decline may look like a small difference in statistics, it turns into a major loss of life for broad segments of society.

INJUSTICE IN INCOME DISTRIBUTION: There Is Growth, But No Sharing

The true performance of an economy cannot be measured only by growth rates. What is truly decisive is how the produced income is shared within society. Because growth, if not distributed fairly, does not turn into social welfare; on the contrary, it makes existing inequalities more visible.

Indicators regarding income distribution in Turkey reveal a remarkable picture in this respect. While the share of the total income received by the bottom 20% income group remains quite limited (6%), the top 20% group receives nearly half of the income. This structure shows that income concentration has increased significantly in the upper income groups.

Even more striking is the depth of the difference between the lowest and highest income brackets. The difference between the share of income received by the bottom 10% and the share of the top 10% points to a structural inequality beyond economic magnitudes. This situation shows that income distribution has turned into a structure that is not only unbalanced but also stratified.

When viewed from the perspective of wage earners, the picture becomes even clearer. While the share of labor income in total income remains limited, the weight of capital and business income hovers at higher levels. This balance reveals that the value obtained from production is not sufficiently reflected in favor of labor.

The fundamental conclusion that emerges in this framework is this: The economy may grow, national income may increase, but when this growth is not shared fairly, it is not reflected in the lives of broad segments of society. On the contrary, the perception of welfare narrows, and the link between economic growth and social experience weakens.

Therefore, the issue is not just “how much we have grown,” but “who shares this growth.” When sharing is not fair, growth remains a statistical success and does not turn into a social gain.

SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY: There Is No Stability Without Justice

A sustainable economy is not just the sum of growth rates, budget balances, or export figures. True sustainability is directly related to how this production is shared within society as much as it is to production itself. Therefore, economic stability is a matter of social balance rather than a technical balance.

The fundamental problem facing the Turkish economy today is shaped in a triple pressure area: low real wages, high inflation, and distorted income distribution. When these three structures exist simultaneously, even if there is economic growth, this growth does not turn into the welfare of broad segments of society.

In an economic structure where wages cannot be protected against inflation, purchasing power is constantly declining, and income distribution is deteriorating, the concept of sustainability turns into a purely theoretical framework. Because the economic system becomes unable to carry the living standards of the masses.

For this reason, three fundamental axes are decisive for a sustainable economic structure. The first is the protection of wages against inflation and labor receiving a fair share of growth. The second is the production structure undergoing a productivity-based transformation by moving from low value-added to high value-added. The third is the design of social policies in a framework that is compatible with and complementary to economic policies.

When these three areas are not handled together, economic growth turns into a fragile structure. Domestic demand weakens, production loses its sustainability, and social balance gradually deteriorates. This situation produces not only an economic slowdown but also an area of social tension.

Therefore, a sustainable economy is a concept that gains meaning not just with technical indicators, but with social justice. Where there is no justice, it is impossible for stability to be permanent.

CONCLUSION: May 1st Is Not a Reminder, It Is a Warning!

Today is May 1st… The day of labor, sweat, and solidarity. However, this year, May 1st has turned into a powerful warning that reminds us of the necessity to rethink the point labor has reached in Turkey, beyond a classic celebration or commemoration.

TÜRK-İŞ’s April 2026 data reveals this truth with all its clarity. In a picture where the hunger threshold has reached 34,586 TL, the poverty threshold 112,660 TL, and the cost of living for a single worker 44,802 TL; the net minimum wage remains at the 28,075 TL level. These data show that the relationship between wages and the cost of living has moved away from a sustainable balance.

This break is not just a technical economic datum; it is a reality that touches life itself. Today, for broad segments of society, the fundamental question has changed: Not “How do I make a living?” but “How do I survive?”

At this point, the real issue is inevitably this: If a full-time working individual cannot even cover their basic living costs in exchange for their labor, what kind of balance is the economic system producing?

The historical meaning of May 1st should be remembered right here. May 1st is not just a day to commemorate labor; it is a day to question the return on labor, its rights, and its place within social justice. Because true welfare is possible not only with production volume, but with the fair sharing of the produced value.

The picture that emerges today shows that wages have declined in real terms and that the livelihood crisis has ceased to be an exception and has turned into a permanent social reality. The fact that the minimum wage is effectively approaching the average wage level clearly reveals that the problem is structural, not individual.

For this reason, the issue is not just the wage level. The problem manifests itself in income distribution, production structure, the fight against inflation, and the entire understanding of economic justice. Today, May 1st reminds us of the same truth once again:

The issue is not just working, but being able to live humanely by working.

The economy may grow, numbers may increase. But if labor cannot make a living, this growth remains incomplete. For this reason, May 1st makes the same call this year as it does every year:

True welfare is possible not only by producing, but by fairly sharing the produced value.

Labor is the highest value. All workers who create life with their sweat and labor deserve the highest respect.

Happy May 1st Labor and Solidarity Day to all workers and laborers. For a fairer, more equal, and more humane order; with the hope of a future where inequalities decrease and opportunities multiply…

Hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder for “neither oppressor nor oppressed; a humane, just order.”

Happy holiday to all workers and laborers.

Long live May 1st!