Submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey: Proposal for 'quarterly minimum wage hikes'

While Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan has closed the door on a mid-year minimum wage increase, a flash move has come from the CHP.

CHP group deputy chairs Ali Mahir Başarır, Murat Emir, and Gökhan Günaydın have submitted a legislative proposal to the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) for retirees and minimum wage earners.

According to a report by Cumhuriyet; the statement, which notes that workers are experiencing a significant erosion in their purchasing power, proposes that "the minimum wage be increased every three months in line with the inflation rate."

The details of the proposal brought by the CHP group deputy chairs are as follows:

“In this high-inflation environment, determining the minimum wage only once a year leads to a major erosion in the purchasing power of workers. Similarly, our retirees, whose pensions have lost their real value against inflation, are struggling even to meet their basic needs. For this reason, our retirees are trying to cope with psychological problems stemming from a lack of income and social life, in addition to general economic problems.

"PROTECT AGAINST THE CRISIS"

-With our legislative proposal, the minimum wage should be increased every three months in line with the inflation rate to at least protect the purchasing power of our workers earning minimum wage.

-Establishing a link with the minimum wage when determining the lowest pension, and raising the lowest pension to the level of the minimum wage.

-Reducing the tax and insurance premium burden on our small business owners.

-Having the Treasury cover half of the employer's share of premiums paid by business owners for old-age, disability, and death insurance for themselves and their employees.