DİSK’s Historic Demand: Minimum Wage Should Be Indexed To 60% Of Per Capita Gdp
Union’s Rule Proposal: DİSK Minimum Wage GDP Ratio Announced; Worker Lost 22 Republic Gold Coins Since 2005
ANKARA, Turkey – The Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), which is not seated at the official minimum wage determination table, released its demands in a comprehensive report for 2026, revealing a dramatic assessment of Turkey’s wage policies. DİSK’s most concrete and radical proposal demands that the minimum wage be indexed to 60 percent of the Per Capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP), aligning with international standards.
DİSK President Arzu Çerkezoğlu stated that the minimum wage, which concerns millions of workers, must be set at a level that enables a humane standard of living.
📈 Section 1: The Core Demand: 60% Of Per Capita Gdp
DİSK demands a fair rule be established before the wage determination mechanism begins.
- International Standard: The report emphasizes that the minimum wage must be calculated by taking into account the living conditions of dependents, not just the worker themselves, in line with international standards (ILO, UN).
- GDP Formula: According to the DİSK Minimum Wage GDP formula, if the average expected Per Capita GDP (monthly) for 2025 is 60,000 TL, the net minimum wage must not be less than 60 percent of that figure, or 36,000 TL. Therefore, the 2026 minimum wage should be determined based on this ratio.
- Poverty Line: Çerkezoğlu highlighted that currently, even if two people work in a household, their combined income falls below the poverty line (which exceeds 90,000 TL).
💰 Section 2: Purchasing Power Disaster And Lost Gold
DİSK’s report clearly demonstrates how the minimum wage has eroded in real terms, despite nominal increases in Turkish Lira.
- 22 Gold Loss: The most striking data point in the report is the fact that the minimum wage earner has lost 22 Republic Gold coins since 2005. While the annual minimum wage could purchase 31.5 Republic Gold coins in 2005, this amount dropped to only 9.5 gold coins in November 2025. This situation starkly illustrates the depreciation of the minimum wage’s value.
🇪🇺 Section 3: Among Europe’s Lowest
Turkey has rapidly fallen in the European minimum wage rankings.
- Euro-Denominated Loss: According to the report, 14 European countries had a lower Euro-denominated minimum wage than Turkey in 2015. However, this number has plummeted to only 2 countries (Albania and Bulgaria) in 2025. Consequently, the Turkish working class is condemned to one of the lowest minimum wages in Europe.
🛑 Section 4: Policy Crisis And DİSK’s Recommendations
DİSK asserts that the imposition of a wage increase based only on “targeted inflation” is unacceptable. For this reason, such an approach forces workers to bear the entire cost of the inflation crisis.
Key recommendations summarized in the report include:
- Update Frequency: As long as high inflation persists, the minimum wage should be updated at least twice a year.
- Reference Point: The minimum wage should be determined by referencing the lowest public sector worker wage and the lowest civil servant salary.
- Tax Justice: The SGK premium support granted to employers for 15 years should be provided to workers at the same rate. Furthermore, the net wage should be increased by having the Treasury cover the supported portion of workers’ social security premiums.
