Employers Union to Boycott Minimum Wage Determination Commission Meeting – BRTK
In a recent announcement, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Cypriot Employers Union, Hasan Sungur, declared that they will not be attending the Minimum Wage Determination Commission meeting scheduled to determine the third minimum wage of 2024. Sungur emphasized that no technical data has been presented to the Commission regarding the development of the country’s economy or the factors outlined in the law, making it impossible to conduct an objective economic evaluation during the meetings.
Furthermore, Sungur expressed concerns that setting a higher minimum wage level would pose challenges to competitiveness opportunities, potentially eliminating their competitive edge. As a result, the union decided to abstain from the meeting planned for that day.
The Minimum Wage Determination Commission, initially scheduled to convene at 13:30 to discuss the third minimum wage of the year, was postponed to 16:00 due to a Council of Ministers extension. During the first meeting held on September 13, the Commission included representatives from the Minister of Labor and Social Security, the President of the Federation of Free Trade Unions, and other officials.
Sungur also highlighted the lack of implementation of Sectoral Minimum Wage practices, despite previous decisions and political promises in this regard. He referenced the significant increase in minimum wage percentages from previous years and underscored the absence of technical data pertaining to economic factors, which hindered objective assessments in Commission meetings.
The Turkish Cypriot Employers Union’s decision not to attend the Commission meeting reflects ongoing concerns about the economic implications of setting a higher minimum wage without proper consideration of competitiveness and sector-specific factors.
