Turkey’s Minimum Wage Commission announced on December 30, 2003 that next year’s minimum monthly wage has been set at 303 million Turkish liras ($215.4), the highest basic wage in five years.
“The government worked very hard with the commission to raise the wage considerably,” said Labor and Social Security Minister Murat Basesgioglu. He said that even though the minimum wage has been raised significantly, it still falls short of ideal standards.
Since July 2002, Turkey’s net minimum wage has been approximately TL 184 million. Real income has not kept pace with inflation last year, meaning that in particular low-income wage earners live close to the poverty line. The rural population continues to migrate to the cities and industrial centers in search for work and better living conditions, adding both to social tension there and to the unemployment rate. — (menareport.com)
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
