DİSK announces its demands for the minimum wage: Listed in 13 points

DİSK President Arzu Çerkezoğlu listed their demands regarding the minimum wage ahead of the Minimum Wage Determination Commission meeting on December 11.

In her statement, Çerkezoğlu recalled the data from the Hunger and Poverty Threshold Research for October 2023, published in November 2023 by DİSK/United Metal- İş Class Research Center (BİSAM), which showed the hunger threshold at 13 thousand TL and the poverty threshold at 45 thousand TL. She said, "The poverty threshold should be considered as a criterion in minimum wage increases, and it should be guaranteed that two people working in a household earn an income that exceeds the poverty threshold."

"TARGETED INFLATION IS UNACCEPTABLE"

Listing the steps that must be taken for "justice in income, justice in taxes, and a wage that allows for a humane life" in 13 points regarding their views on the 2024 minimum wage, DİSK noted the following:

"The scope of collective bargaining, not just the minimum wage, should be expanded. To prevent millions from being condemned to the minimum wage, all obstacles and thresholds in front of the exercise of union rights must be removed, and the scope of collective bargaining must be expanded.

The extension mechanism included in Law No. 6356 should be implemented, and collective labor agreements should also be applied to non-unionized workplaces.

In minimum wage increases, the basis should be the increase in GDP per capita, not official inflation/targeted inflation. The minimum wage should be determined based on living conditions and economic growth, not on suppressed and guided official inflation. Furthermore, 'wage increases in line with targeted inflation,' which is frequently voiced by government spokespeople, is unacceptable.

Making wage increases based on targeted inflation will mean further impoverishing millions.

"IT MUST BE A WAGE THAT ALLOWS A WORKER TO LIVE WITH THEIR FAMILY"

In minimum wage increases, food inflation for low-income earners and economic growth per capita should be taken as a basis.

The minimum wage should be determined four times a year under high inflation conditions. Determining the minimum wage once a year under high inflation conditions means condemning employees to hunger and poverty.

International standards are not followed in determining the minimum wage in Turkey. United Nations, International Labour Organization, and Council of Europe standards are not taken into account; the minimum wage is calculated based on a single worker without considering their family. ILO Convention No. 131 regarding minimum wage determination should be ratified, and the reservation placed on the European Social Charter regarding the minimum wage should be removed.

The minimum wage must be a wage that allows a worker to live with their family, in accordance with international standards.

"RETIREMENT PENSIONS SHOULD BE RAISED TO AT LEAST THE MINIMUM WAGE LEVEL"

The rate applied to the first tax bracket after the minimum wage should be reduced to 10 percent. The minimum wage tax exemption should be applied through a deduction from the tax base, not from the tax itself.

The 5-point SGK (Social Security Institution) premium support given to employers since 2008 should also be given to workers.

The archaic stamp tax should be abolished.

Before Law No. 5510, enacted in 2008, there was no such thing as a retirement pension lower than the minimum wage. The lowest retirement pension should be raised to at least the level of the minimum wage.

The state making a distinction between workers in the private sector and public workers and public officials is contrary to the Constitution's principle of equality. The minimum wage should be calculated by taking into account the lowest public worker wage and the lowest civil servant salary."