# Turkish labor union minimum wage reform proposals

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/turkish-labor-union-minimum-wage-reform-proposals
> Updated: 2026-09-03T11:49:05.000Z. Sources: 13. Developments: 2.

Mahmut Arslan, President of the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (HAK-İŞ), has advocated for structural reforms to Turkey’s Minimum Wage Determination Commission. Arslan proposed adopting a “Germany model” to address what he described as an undemocratic and unfair representation structure.

Under this proposed model, worker and employer representatives would negotiate under an arbitrator, while the government would serve as a regulatory entity that announces the final figure rather than acting as a direct negotiating party. Arslan warned that without such reforms to ensure more inclusive and democratic processes, labor representatives might refuse to participate in upcoming December negotiations. He emphasized that a consensus-based approach is necessary because the current minimum wage has lost value due to inflation.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-03: HAK-İŞ President calls for minimum wage commission reform

HAK-İŞ President Mahmut Arslan called for reforming the Minimum Wage Determination Commission and urged stronger action to address the rising issue of unidentified occupational diseases in Turkey.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hak-i-president-calls-for-minimum-wage-commission-reform

### 2026-08-21: HAK-İŞ proposes Germany model for minimum wage reform

HAK-İŞ President Mahmut Arslan proposes a “Germany model” for Turkey’s minimum wage negotiations, warning that workers may boycott upcoming talks if the commission's structure is not made more democratic.

11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hak-i-president-calls-for-reform-of-minimum-wage-commission

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Cite as: Turkish labor union minimum wage reform proposals. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/turkish-labor-union-minimum-wage-reform-proposals