The minimum wage, which was announced Monday by the Minister of Labor and Social Services, Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk, was set at 2,020 TL as of 1 January, especially pleased the employees across the country.

The minimum wage workers stated that the 26 percent increase has met their expectations, while the employers stated that the increase will reflect the performance of the workers positively.

"As a minimum wage worker, I am pleased with this increase. All my friends are also pleased. The minimum wage really wasn't enough to meet our needs," said Şükran Karaozan, a minimum wage employee who thanked the commission for the increase.

Mustafa Hoştaş, a factory production manager also expressed that the increase in minimum wage pleased him, while noted that the current minimum wage isn't enough to meet their needs.

"The 26% increase in minimum wage is positive. This increase is also a happy situation in terms of our employees. It will also increase our workforce and performance," he said.

Employer İbrahim Batuk emphasized that the increase in the minimum wage is positive for both workers and themselves. Batuk said that they have 300 workers now and that they aim to increase these numbers to 500 in 2019.

"The minimum wage was on the agenda in the last three months and was announced on Monday with a 26 percent increase. The work we do is based on labor, which our workers are the most valuable for us. So we are happy on behalf of their names," said Batuk. (M. Salih Keskin - ILKHA)