Nicosia, Cyprus. The north on Friday set its monthly minimum wage at 60,618TL (€1,191) gross after its minimum wage determination commission rejected a trade union appeal to raise it further. The net minimum wage will be 52,738TL (€1,036) from this month.
New wage level and increase
The new minimum wage represents an 18 per cent increase from the previous minimum wage, which had been in force since July last year at 51,220TL gross and 44,546TL net.
In July, that wage was worth €1,076 gross and €936 net, but the loss in value of the Turkish lira since then has reduced those amounts to €1,006 and €875 respectively.
Comparison with the Republic of Cyprus and EU
Friday’s decision puts the north’s minimum wage above that of the Republic of Cyprus, which raised its minimum wage at the beginning of this month to €1,088 gross and €963 net.
The north’s net minimum wage is higher than in all but five European Union member states, with only Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Ireland, Germany and France higher, while Spain’s net minimum wage is €1,035.
Additional payment and application issues
The north’s ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel said Turkish Cypriots earning the minimum wage in the north would receive an additional 12,000TL (€236) from the north’s provident fund department.
The payment is to be made in two instalments of 6,000TL (€118) in February and March, and applicants have until February 28 to apply, though the application website crashed on Friday afternoon.
Labour minister’s comments
Later on Friday, ‘labour minister’ Oguzhan Hasipoglu said the increase is positive for workers despite trade union demands for a higher figure, adding that including the extra payment means minimum-wage earners will receive almost 23 per cent more this month than last month.
How will the new minimum wage and the additional payment affect your household budget?
