The highly anticipated minimum wage increase was announced as 22 thousand 104 liras, with an increase of 30 percent. Opportunists who revived inflation reflected the increased prices on the shelves before the minimum wage increase was announced. Evening NewspaperHe visited the chain markets in Istanbul, where citizens mostly shop, one by one, and viewed the increased and changed label prices before the employee’s increased salary even entered his pocket.
Price tags had changed on many products, from meat to milk, from cheese to oil, from food products, from detergent to diapers, from shampoo to toilet paper, to cleaning and hygiene. The citizen, who will receive his increased salary 1 month later, in January, reacted to the opportunists. The Ministry of Commerce announced that there would be heavy penalties for those who increase exorbitant prices and called on citizens to report opportunists. It was noteworthy that the majority of the labels changed in December, when the Minimum Wage Commission meets. It was seen that the labels of some of the products were changed hastily by taking computer printouts. The record change was made on December 22, 2 days before the minimum wage was announced.
THE PRICE CHANGES EVEN AT THE CHECKOUT
Stating that they encountered a new surprise every time they entered the chain markets, retired Temel Biber said, “They worked until the morning and changed the prices. They reflected the increase before our salary entered our pocket.” Housewife Nagehan Yılmaz said, “Look at the faces of the people leaving the market, you will understand the situation. Supermarkets started to increase the price increases on the labels even before the raises for employees and retirees. They will make the second increase at the beginning of the year.” Housewife Mahiye Çatalçam also complains about the sudden change in prices. Çatalçam said, “They started opportunism at the beginning of December. The price of the product on the shelf changes even at the checkout. The opportunists are increasing the inflation.”
DOUBLE WARNING TO OPPORTUNISTS
Two ministries issued a warning to businesses trying to turn the increase in the minimum wage into an opportunity. In the statement made by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, “We will continue our strong and determined fight against those who aim to manipulate the market with artificial fluctuations by increasing prices exorbitantly. In this process, in coordination with our Ministry of Commerce, we will carry out all necessary inspections to ensure market order and protect the rights of our consumers and “We will take the most severe measures against those who apply exorbitant prices.” In the statement of the Ministry of Commerce on the subject, “We would like to warn once again the sellers of goods and services who will try to increase the prices at the same minimum wage increase rate as if the entire cost was labor. First, the minimum wage will be paid at the end of January 2025.” Secondly, labor costs constitute only a part of the total cost. Therefore, we warn those who want to greedily try to turn the increase rate of the minimum wage into the increase rate of prices.”
THIS FEE IS BALANCED AND SUSTAINABLE
While the Minimum Wage Determination Commission announced the minimum wage figure that will be valid in the new year as 22 thousand 104 lira net, the wage in dollar terms was 627 dollars. Thus, the announced figure stood out as the highest rate to date compared to the dollar.
The statements of the business world evaluating the announced minimum wage are as follows:
Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) President Mustafa Gültepe: Our employees always deserve much more. However, economic balances must also be taken into consideration. We see that these balances and especially the determination to fight inflation are taken into account when determining the new minimum wage.
MÜSİAD Chairman Mahmut Asmalı: I wish the minimum wage, which has been determined as 22 thousand 104 TL with a 30 percent increase for 2025, to be beneficial.
Orhan Aydın, Chairman of the Anatolian Lions Businessmen Association: The 30 percent increase in the minimum wage was also a reflection of the current economic policy. The target coincided with economic policies in terms of the continuity of the gains achieved during difficult processes.
Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) President Gürsel Baran: Increasing the minimum wage by 30 percent to 22 thousand 104 lira has been a sustainable and balanced figure for both our employees and employers.
Source: www.star.com.tr
