Leading Turkish labour union Türk Metal said it secured a cumulative 65.7 percent pay increase for metal workers in talks with employers, the Dünya newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The pay rise includes a 27.4 percent increase in hourly wages for the first half of the year and a minimum wage hike of 30 percent for the second six months, Dünya said, citing the agreement.
Pressure from Turkish workers for higher wages is increasing after annual consumer price inflation accelerated to 36.1 percent in December. Price increases are expected to nudge higher in the coming months. CPI may reach 55 percent by May, JPMorgan said this month.
Turkish metal workers number about 140,000 and are an important source of labour for the country’s main exporting sectors such as the car industry and household goods.
Two other labour unions – Birleşik Metal-Iş and Özçelik-İş – also took part in the final contract negotiations with employers at chairman level, Dünya said.
Ahval