Minister Işıkhan announces plans for minimum wage and pension increase in Parliament
Minister Işıkhan’s Flash Statement on Minimum Wage and Pension Raise in the Parliament
Minister Işıkhan recently presented the 2025 budget of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security at the General Assembly of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. During his presentation, he discussed the National Employment Strategy, which will be shared with the public soon. This strategy aims to address challenges in the labor market, strengthen the link between education and employment, reconstruct social protection systems, and create sustainable employment opportunities.
One of the key goals mentioned by Minister Işıkhan is the inclusion of the young population in the labor market. He highlighted that the unemployment rate has been in single digits for the last 18 months and the government aims to increase employment by an average of 758 thousand people annually in the next three years.
Furthermore, Minister Işıkhan emphasized the importance of women’s employment and announced the Work Positive Program, which aims to bring 750 thousand women into employment by 2024. Additionally, he mentioned the Workforce Adaptation Program, which has helped integrate 120 thousand people, including women, youth, disabled individuals, and students, into the workforce.
Regarding the minimum wage, Minister Işıkhan stressed its critical importance in ensuring social justice and economic growth. He mentioned that the Minimum Wage Determination Commission will meet on December 16 to decide on the minimum wage for the upcoming year. Minister Işıkhan expressed the government’s commitment to ensuring a balanced solution that benefits both employees and employers.
In addition, Minister Işıkhan announced a 6+5 percent raise for public servants and retirees in 2025. He assured that measures would be taken to protect the purchasing power of public servants in case of high inflation differences.
Overall, Minister Işıkhan’s statement outlines the government’s efforts to promote employment, support vulnerable populations, and ensure fair wages for workers. The upcoming decisions on minimum wage and pension raises reflect the government’s commitment to economic stability and social welfare.
