Trade union to propose 3,500TL as new minimum wage

A LEADING trade union, representing private sector workers on the Minimum Wage Commission, is planning to put a proposal on the table of 3,500TL gross as the new lowpay threshold when the commission reconvenes this week.

The commission, headed by Labour and Social Security Minister Zeki Çeler and comprising ministry, employers’ and workers’ representatives, met on Wednesday without agreement and the Hür-İş union indicated it would make its suggestion — which would translate to 3,150TL net — when they gather again on Thursday.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Mr Çeler said his team was working on a new approach to setting the salary “floor” for the country’s lowest-paid workers.

“We will be sharing details of the new system soon . . . and will open it to discussion. It’s time to change the system so as to introduce different minimum wages for different sectors,” he said.

“Our aim is to move to a new system through dialogue with representatives of the trade, industry, construction, tourism, higher education, banking, finance and agriculture sectors.”

Hür-iş head Ahmet Çaluda confirmed to Cyprus Today that no proposals had been put forward at Wednesday’s first meeting, but said the figures mooted by union general secretary Ali Yeltekin would be their “red line”.

However he said net pay of 3,150TL would not be adequate, and a new wage-setting mechanism was needed, along with government steps to reduce the cost of living.

Mustafa Aroğlu, of the Employers’ Union, said they would back moves to increase welfare in the country.

Another trade union leader last week said the gross minimum wage — currently 2,620TL per month before tax, 2,279TL net — should go up to at least 4,800TL, while a consumers’ leader called for 5,500TL.