ANKARA - Minimum Wage Fixing Commission started on Tuesday its deliberations on the new minimum wage to be valid as of January 1, 2003.
Addressing the opening remarks of the meeting, Labour and Social Security Minister Nejat Arseven said that the minimum wage to be valid till the end of this year was gross 250 million 875 thousand Turkish liras (TL) TL for workers above 16 years while it was net 184 million 251 thousand 937 TL.
Arseven noted that the current minimum wage cost 332 million 811 thousand 651 TL for the employer.
Under an amendment to 55th article of the Constitution, besides economic conditions, the living standards of the workers would also be taken into consideration when fixing the minimum wage, Arseven added.
Nihat Yuksel of the Confederation of Turkish Employers Unions (TISK) said that there was need for a rise in minimum wage due to severe economic conditions.
Yuksel noted that the minimum wage should be fixed in a way that it would not encourage unregistered employment.
Confederation of Turkish Workers Labor Unions (Turk-Is) General Secretary Salih Kilic said that minimum wage should be exempted from tax.
The commission is comprised of a total of 15 members five representatives each from employers, employees and government.
The second meeting of the commission will be held on November 19.