Base wage demand for media workers: 'Enough is enough, we want justice!'

DİSK Basın-İş has announced the results of its 2025 Media Workers Base Wage Research. According to the study, one in every four employees in the media sector earns less than the minimum wage. The research also revealed that job security based on seniority has almost completely disappeared in the sector.

The Press, Publishing and Printing Workers' Union of Turkey (DİSK Basın-İş) shared the results of its 2025 Media Workers Base Wage Research with the public. The study, conducted with 82 media workers from 53 different institutions, revealed that salaries in the sector are largely at the minimum wage level and highlighted the deterioration in the living conditions of media workers.

ONE IN EVERY 4 MEDIA WORKERS EARNS LESS THAN THE MINIMUM WAGE

According to the research results, the average salary in the media sector is 23,378 TL, which is only 28% higher than the minimum wage. One in every four employees earns less than the minimum wage, and 90% of employees struggle to survive on an income of less than 25,000 TL.

The average wage demanded by media workers for 2025 is 42,134 TL. However, even this figure remains at half the level of the expected poverty line for the year.

NO SENIORITY SECURITY IN THE SECTOR

The research also shows that seniority security in the media sector has almost completely disappeared. The average duration of seniority is only 3.8 years. 70% of employees can work in the same workplace for less than 3 years. This situation reveals that the cycle of changing jobs due to low salaries is common in the sector.

DİSK BASIN-İŞ'S DEMANDS

Based on the research results, DİSK Basın-İş makes the following demands to improve the living and working conditions of media workers:

A "base wage" application of at least twice the minimum wage should be introduced.

Employees should receive a raise every year at least equal to the minimum wage increase.

A 3% additional raise per year of experience should be applied, in addition to a 5% additional raise for each year spent at the same institution.

A daily field allowance of 750 TL should be provided.

A 25% "metropolitan compensation" should be added to the salaries of media workers working in metropolitan cities.

"WE WANT A BASE WAGE, NOT THE MINIMUM WAGE!"

The report emphasizes that it is unacceptable for media workers to work for minimum wage salaries, stating, "Media workers perform intellectual labor under difficult conditions, constantly racing against time. Being forced to work at the minimum wage level negatively affects both the lives of the employees and the public's right to access information."

THE PRESS CARD ISSUE AWAITS A SOLUTION

In the statement, there was also a reaction to the turquoise press card application issued by the Presidential Directorate of Communications, and it was emphasized that thousands of media workers whom the Presidency does not "deem appropriate" pay for their own public transportation costs to reach news in the field.

DİSK Basın-İş announced that the struggle for wages and working conditions that will allow media workers to live humanely will continue.

News Source: 12punto