607 billion TL vanished from workers' pockets
According to the April Wage Loss Monitoring Report by DİSK-AR, the total loss for workers due to inflation and taxation exceeded 607 billion 153 million TL in the first four months of the year. Last month, workers effectively worked at least 11 days solely to cover inflation and taxes.
Economy Service
With the data announced by TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute) for April, inflation broke the record of the last 6 months, being recorded at 4.18% monthly and 32.37% annually. Following the announcement of inflation data, the "Wage Loss Monitoring Report" published by the Research Centre of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK-AR) revealed the losses in workers' wages caused by high inflation, taxes, and deductions.
According to the report, the total inflation and tax loss in the wages of insured workers in the first four months of 2026 increased by 42.9% compared to the first four months of 2025, reaching 607 billion 153 million TL. While the average worker's loss from inflation and tax, excluding deductions, was 12,751 TL, workers spent at least 11 days of April working for taxes and inflation.
The report emphasised that, in addition to high inflation, the income tax system and deductions from wages are rapidly eroding employees' disposable income. It was stated that the calculations cover approximately 16.6 million insured workers.
THE BILL FOR INFLATION AND TAX HAS GROWN
According to DİSK-AR’s calculations, the total loss resulting solely from inflation in the first four months of the year was 310 billion 879 million TL. The total loss stemming from income and stamp taxes was calculated at 296 billion 273 million TL. Thus, the total loss, which was calculated as 424.8 billion TL in the first four months of 2025, rose to 607.2 billion TL in the same period of 2026.
The report stated: “Inflation is a suction pump that impoverishes the working class. It takes from the workers and transfers resources to the wealthy.”
DİSK-AR pointed out that due to the structure of the tax system, wages enter higher tax brackets as early as the first months of the year, stating that the income tax burden is increasing the pressure on wage earners.
AVERAGE WORKER'S LOSS EXCEEDED 22 THOUSAND TL
According to the report, for the period of January–April 2026, the average worker's gross wage was taken as 63,598 TL. The tax and deduction burden on this wage reached 14,981 TL in April. Due to the impact of the 14.64% inflation over the four-month period, an additional loss of 7,310 TL occurred in the wage. Consequently, the total loss amounted to 22,290 TL.
According to the same calculation, the individual loss of the average worker's wage resulting from tax and inflation was 12,751 TL.
FOUR THOUSAND TL INFLATION LOSS
The report also extensively covered the erosion of the minimum wage. It was stated that the gross minimum wage determined for 2026, which is 33,030 TL, fell to a net 28,076 TL after SGK (Social Security Institution) and unemployment insurance premium deductions.
The report mentioned that after four months of official inflation, a loss of 4,110 TL occurred in the net minimum wage, stating that the real net minimum wage fell to 23,965 TL. The total loss from deductions and inflation was calculated as 9,065 TL.
The report noted: “In the fourth month of 2026, 27.4% of the minimum wage eroded due to deductions and inflation.”
LOSSES INCREASED AS WAGES ROSE
The report stated that as the wage level increases, employees enter higher tax brackets more quickly, and therefore the tax burden grows. While the total loss for wages at 1.5 times the minimum wage was 15,502 TL, the loss for a worker earning 2 times the minimum wage reached 23,415 TL.
The total loss for wages at 2.5 times the minimum wage was calculated as 31,371 TL, while the loss for wages at 3 times the minimum wage rose to 38,407 TL.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled İşçinin cebinden 607 milyar TL uçtu, published in BirGün newspaper on May 7, 2026.
