Working life in Greece

Notes: Values for real GDP per capita are chain-linked volumes (based on 2010 data; €). The unemployment rate for men and women is the annual average as a percentage of the active population aged 15–74 years, and the youth unemployment rate is the annual average as a percentage of people aged 15–24 years. The employment rate for men and women is the annual average as a percentage of the active population aged 15–64 years, and the youth employment rate is the annual average as a percentage of people aged 15–24 years. GDP, gross domestic product.

Sources: Eurostat [sdg_08_10], for real GDP per capita and percentage change 2012–2022; [une_rt_a], for unemployment rate by sex and age; [lfsi_emp_a], for employment rate by sex and age

Economic and labour market context

Since the onset of the economic crisis, the Greek economy has been in recession and has had high unemployment levels.

Between 2012 and 2022, Greek gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 10.45%, which was lower than the EU average growth of 15.29% in the same period. Unemployment figures decreased from 24.8% in 2012 to 12.5% in 2022.

After a sharp drop in GDP of 9% in 2020 (compared with the previous year) due to the pandemic, the country’s GDP then grew by 8.4% in 2021. This growth continued in 2022: according to the Bank of Greece (Τράπεζα της Ελλάδος, ΤΤΕ) (2023), GDP grew by 5.9% in 2022.

In addition, the inflation rate continued its upward trend in 2022: the yearly average consumer price index (CPI) in 2022 increased by 9.6% compared with 2021 (in 2021, the increase was 1.2% compared with 2020; Elstat, 2023).

The CPI of December 2022 increased by 7.2% compared with the corresponding CPI of December 2021, whereas the increase recorded between 2021 and 2020 was 5.1%.

The unemployment rate in the second quarter of 2022 reached 12.4%, a decrease compared with the corresponding quarter of the previous year (second quarter of 2021), when it was 15.8% (Elstat, 2022).

Legal context

There is no single overarching labour law or code that governs individual labour relations in Greece. Instead, there is a large number of different laws and labour regulations. Between 2010 and 2013, as a result of the bailout programme and the implementation of the memorandum signed between the Greek government and the troika (the International Monetary Fund, the EU and the European Central Bank (ECB)), more than 28 new laws were introduced in the area of labour relations. The new legislation aimed to introduce ‘structural reforms’ in the labour market, mainly by drastically reducing labour costs and implementing work flexibility on a broad scale. In addition, major reforms were introduced in the collective bargaining system following the enactment of Law No. 1876/90. From 2010, a series of legislative interventions were made that targeted the ‘decentralisation’ of collective bargaining (Law Nos. 3899/2010, 4024/2011, 4046/2012, 4093/2012 and 4172/2013).

On 20 August 2018, after the final legislation had been passed (Law Nos. 4512/2018 and 4549/2018) and the objectives had been achieved, the financial support programme was formally brought to an end by the institutions (the EU, the ECB and the European Stability Mechanism) and the country regained some fiscal autonomy. The government introduced two important labour reforms that have significantly changed the collective bargaining system and the setting of the minimum wage.

Decree No. 32921/2175/13-6-2018 of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (hereafter referred to as the Ministry of Labour) re-established the extension mechanism for sectoral collective agreements and the favourability principle.

Law No. 4564/2018 introduced the application of the new mechanism for determining the minimum wage, as was initially introduced by Law No. 4172/2013 (Article 103). The operation and basic rights of trade unions (their recognition, representativeness and right to strike) are set out in Law No. 1264/1982, which is still in force, with some minor modifications having been made over the years.

There is no specific legislation regarding employer representation. The law on collective bargaining (Law No. 1876/1990) refers to employer organisations with wider representation, which can sign agreements in the field of their domain.

The new legislation on the extension mechanism for sectoral collective agreements and the favourability principle requires that, for the extension of collective agreements, signatory employers represent at least 51% of the employees in the industry.

In October 2019, Law No. 4635/2019 introduced some changes regarding the extension of sectoral collective agreements, the mechanism of arbitration and the creation of a register of trade unions and employer organisations.

During 2020, labour legislation was introduced regarding management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, Law No. 4808/2021 introduced many important changes to individual employment relationships. These were:

• the introduction of a digital employment card
• the creation of the Greek Labour Inspectorate (Επιθεωρηση Εργασίας, SEPE) as an independent labour inspection authority
• the implementation of measures to ensure a balance between work and family life (the establishment of new forms of leave or changes to previously established forms of leave)
• the adoption of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Convention No. 190 on the elimination of violence and harassment in the workplace and Law No. 4808/2021 regarding measures to prevent such violence and harassment
• the implementation of measures for remote working and the right to disconnect for those who telework
• the establishment of an electronic registry for the registration of trade unions and employer organisations
• the adoption of new regulations regarding work schedules
• the implementation of changes to the regulations and rules regarding the right to strike

In 2022, Law No. 4921/2022 renamed the Hellenic Manpower Employment Organisation (Ελληνικός Οργανισμός Απασχόλησης Εργατικού Δυναμικού, OAED) as the Public Employment Service (Δημόσια Υπηρεσία Απασχόλησης, DYPA). The new law set out several changes to the administration, organisation and operation of the new service.

Finally, in December 2022, Presidential Decree No. 80 (Government Gazette 222/4.12.2022) codified the provisions of individual labour law that had been in force until then in a single text: the Code of Individual Labour Law (357 articles in total, 132 pages). This codification did not replace the existing legislation and case law; instead, it collated the rights and obligations of employers and workers in terms of individual labour law into a single text.

Industrial relations context

Until 1990, collective bargaining was characterised by very strong state interventionism and centralisation in setting wages and shaping working conditions and rights at both national and sectoral levels (Law No. 3239/1955).

From 1990 to 2010, the framework for negotiations was provided by Law No. 1876/90, which introduced a free collective bargaining system in which mediation and arbitration procedures (provided by an independent body, namely the Organisation for Mediation and Arbitration (Οργανισμός Μεσολάβησης και Διαιτησίας, OMED) played an important role.

The main levels of collective bargaining in Greece are national level, covering the whole economy; sectoral/occupational level, covering the majority of sectors and occupations; and company level. Under this structure, national-level bargaining produced the National General Collective Agreement (Εθνική Γενική Συλλογική Σύμβαση Εργασίας, EGSSE), which set the national minimum wage and dealt with other broader issues such as leave and training. At the same time, bargaining at sectoral/occupational level and then at company level built on this basis to provide better pay and conditions.

This structure was fundamentally changed by the measures introduced at the beginning of 2010. Through a series of consecutive legislative interventions (Law Nos. 3899/2010, 4024/2011, 4046/2012, 4093/2012 and 4172/2013), the following changes were made to the system: EGSEE and sectoral collective agreements became applicable only to members; the mechanism of extending collective agreements was abolished; company-based agreements were to be implemented by priority; the arbitration mechanism (OMED) could be used only if employers and employees agreed. This final provision was reversed in 2014 after the Council of State issued a decision that re-established the right to unilaterally appeal arbitration procedures, but a new regulation (Law No. 4303/2014) established a series of preconditions regarding the use of the arbitration system, which in fact make it difficult for arbitration to take place.

Additionally, under Law No. 4046/12, all collective agreements cannot be valid for more than three years (the maximum). Once the agreement has expired, only three months are given for negotiations for renewing it.

Furthermore, the national social partners no longer have the ability to set a universally applicable national minimum wage through the EGSSE. New legislation (Law Nos. 4093/2012 and 4172/2012) has given the Greek government the sole authority to do this; it only has to consult the social partners. This fundamental change in the Greek system of industrial relations has affected the coverage of collective bargaining in the country, with coverage seeming to be falling sharply.

In 2018, two new measures changed the context of industrial relations. Firstly, in August 2018, legislation was passed that re-established extension mechanisms for sectoral collective agreements and reintroduced the favourability principle. These two principles had been abolished since 2010 and 2011 (Law Nos. 3845/2010 and 4024/2011 for the favourability principle and Law No. 4024/2011 for the extension mechanism). In addition, from August 2018 until the end of the year, 10 existing national sectoral collective agreements were declared compulsory for all employers. According to the Ministry of Labour, these agreements cover approximately 191,000 employees.

Secondly, in 2018, the new mechanism for determining the minimum wage, which was initially introduced by Law No. 4172/2013 (Article 103) and amended in June 2018 by Law No. 4564/2018, was applied for the very first time. Specific dates for the consultation process, which would take place from August 2018 until January 2019, were passed into law. The aim was for the new minimum wage to come into effect on 1 February 2019. The mechanism provides for the development of a step-by-step consultation to determine the minimum wage, involving the government, the social partners and specialised scientific bodies, research bodies and experts. The process was completed at the end of January 2019 and a new minimum wage rate was introduced on 1 February 2019. This mode of regulation replaces the determination of the minimum wage via collective agreement, which was abolished in 2012 when the minimum wage was reduced.

Trade unions, employer organisations and public institutions play a key role in the governance of the employment relationship, working conditions and industrial relations structures. They are interlocking parts in a multilevel system of governance that includes European, national, sectoral, regional (provincial or local) and company levels. This section looks at the main actors and institutions and their role in Greece.

Public authorities involved in regulating working life

The Ministry of Labour (and its agency the Labour Inspectorate) is the public authority that is responsible for supervising labour relations and working conditions, namely in the following areas:
•    the regulation of individual and collective labour relations and social security laws
•    gender equality and equal opportunities
•    employment services
•    the social integration of foreign workers
•    the social protection and rehabilitation of special workers’ categories
•    the provision of help to people with disabilities
•    vocational training
•    the prevention of occupational accidents and occupational diseases
•    the management of EU funds and community and other resources related to the development of human resources
•    the representation of Greece in the ILO 

SEPE, as legislated by Law No. 4808/2021 (amending Law No. 3996/2011), became an independent authority as of 1 July 2022. The main legislative framework concerning SEPE’s mission and duties is Law No. 3996/2011, as amended by Law No. 4808/2021. SEPE supervises the application of labour legislation and its inspectors visit workplaces and can fine employers for non-compliance with the law. It is also authorised to mediate in any individual labour dispute, to inspect the implementation of collective agreements and to take immediate administrative measures to enforce sanctions or refer the matter to a penal court. Among the changes introduced by Law No. 4808/2021 was the abolition of any form of social control and involvement of the social partners or workers’ representatives in the work and activities of SEPE. Under the previous regime, the reports and plans of SEPE were discussed and approved by the Supreme Labour Council (Ανώτατο Συμβούλιο Εργασίας, ASE), in which the social partners were also represented on an equal footing (a tripartite body in the Ministry of Labour).

In 2022, the OAED was renamed (by Law No. 4921/2022) as the DYPA. The DYPA continues to be a legal entity governed by public law and continues to be supervised by the Ministry of Labour. The DYPA deals with getting people into work, managing unemployment insurance and maternity leave, and implementing vocational education and training programmes, including apprenticeships. However, Law No. 4921/2022 set out several changes to the administration, organisation and operation of the service. For example, it set out a new composition of the Board of Directors, the establishment of the Social Partners’ Council and the autonomous administration and management of the Special Vocational Training Account by a legal entity made up exclusively of the social partners.

Representativeness

In the private sector and the broader public sector, trade unions’ operation and their basic rights (their recognition, representativeness and right to strike) are set out in Law No. 1264/1982, which is still in force today. At national level, there is only one workers’ confederation, the General Confederation of Greek Labour ( Γενική Συνομοσπονδία Εργαζομένων Ελλάδας, GSEE).

There is no specific legislation governing employers’ representativeness. The law on collective bargaining (Law No. 1876/1990) refers to employer organisations with wider representation, which can sign collective agreements in the field of their domain. At national level, there are five recognised employer organisations: the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (Σύνδεσμος Επιχειρήσεων και Βιομηχανιών, SEV), which represents big industry and large companies; the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (Ελληνική Συνομοσπονδία Εμπορίου & Επιχειρηματικότητας, ESEE), which represents mainly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in commerce; the Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen and Merchants (Γενική Συνομοσπονδία Επαγγελματιών Βιοτεχνών Εμπόρων Ελλάδας, GSEVEE), which represents mainly SMEs in industry and some in commerce; the Greek Tourism Confederation (Σύνδεσμος Ελληνικών Τουριστικών Επιχειρήσεων, SETE), which was recognised as a national social partner by Law No. 4144/2013; and the Federation of Industries of Greece (Συνδέσμος Βιομηχανιών Ελλάδος, SBE), having been renamed following a decision of 25 January 2019), which was recently recognised as a new national social partner by Article 41 of Law No. 4554/2018.

In the public sector, the Confederation of Public Servants (Ανώτατη Διοίκηση Ενώσεων Δημοσίων Υπαλλήλων, ADEDY) is the only national-level trade union of public sector workers. ADEDY represents employees of the government, of local authorities and of legal bodies under the exclusive control of the state or local authorities (public legal entities).

Trade unions
About trade union representation

Law No. 1264/1982 is the basic legislation that governs the broader functioning of the trade union movement and recognises trade union rights. According to the law, a minimum of 21 employees have the right to establish a trade union and be validated by the court. This form of union is a ‘primary union’ (the most fundamental form of union organisation); it organises individuals in a certain profession, sector, service or company/establishment. 

Trade unions in the private sector are organised at three separate levels: primary level (as discussed above); secondary level, at which there are two types of organisation (the federations, which consist of two or more primary unions in a sector or profession, and the labour centres, which represent unions at local level); and tertiary level (the national confederations). 

There are two confederations, one for workers and employees in the private sector (the GSEE) and one for workers and employees in the public sector (ADEDY). Both confederations are affiliated members of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).
The GSEE represents private sector workers and employees, including those working in the public utility services and in private bodies in which the state has a majority stake (such as the Public Power Corporation (Δημόσια Επιχείρηση Ηλεκτρισμού, DEI) and Hellenic Post (Ελληνικά Ταχυδρομεία, ΕLΤΑ). 

ADEDY is the national-level trade union of public sector workers. Its unions represent employees of the government, of local authorities and of legal bodies under the exclusive control of the state or local authorities (public legal entities).
Two professional categories are excluded from the specific provisions of Law No. 1264/1982: journalists who can organise pensions, and ships’ workers/crews. These groups are covered under a special trade union law.

There is also a special regime in terms of trade union rights for some categories of workers, such as uniformed personnel (the police, coastguard and armed forces), the clergy and the judiciary. These categories have the right to form a trade union or a professional association in principle, but they cannot fully exercise some rights such as the right to strike. 

In general, there are no national data available on the main trends regarding trade union density. A study by the Labour Institute of the GSEE (INE-GSEE, December 2013) estimated that trade union density was approximately 28.1% in the private sector. Of the 2,454,266 employees (Elstat, 2011) who potentially could be covered and represented by the GSEE and ADEDY, 690,247 employees voted to elect representatives to the GSEE and ADEDY congresses (March and November 2013).

According to 2016 data, of the 2,371,929 employees (Elstat, 2016a) who potentially could be covered and represented by the GSEE and ADEDY, 612,325 employees voted to elect representatives to the GSEE and ADEDY congresses (March and November 2016).

Finally, trade unions are not generally involved in pensions, unemployment schemes or closed shop systems.

Recently, Law No. 4808/2021 introduced the establishment of the Register of Trade Unions and the Register of Employees’ and Employers’ Organisations in the Ergani electronic system. A necessary precondition for the conclusion of a collective labour agreement is the registration of each trade union and employer organisation in the respective electronic register of the Ministry of Labour, which contains basic information about the organisations, including the number of members that they have.

Trade union membership and trade union density, 2012–2020

Notes: * Proportion of employees who are members of a trade union. ** Trade union membership of employees derived from the total union membership and adjusted, if necessary, for trade union members outside the active, dependent and employed labour force (i.e. retired workers, self-employed workers, students, unemployed people). n.a., not available.
 

Main trade union confederations and federations

The biggest federations within the GSEE are:

• the Hellenic Federation of Bank Employee Unions (Ομοσπονδία Τραπεζοϋπαλληλικών Οργανώσεων Ελλάδας, ΟΤΟΕ)
• the Federation of Private Employees (Ομοσπονδία Ιδιωτικών Υπαλλήλων Ελλάδος, ΟΙΥΕ)
• the General Federation of Employees of the Public Power Corporation (Γενική Ομοσπονδία Προσωπικού Κλάδου Ηλεκτρικής Ενέργειας, GENOP/DEI)
• the Greek Federation of Builders and Associated Professions (Ομοσπονδία Οικοδόμων και Συναφών Επαγγελμάτων Ελλάδος, OOSEE)

Main trade union confederations and federations

The largest labour centre is the Athens Labour Centre (Εργατικό Κέντρο Αθήνας, EKA) followed by the Thessaloniki Labour Centre (Εργατικό Κέντρο Θεσσαλονίκης, ΕΚΘ) and the Piraeus Labour Centre (Εργατικό Κέντρο Πειραιά, EKP). 

The biggest federations within ADEDY are:

• the Greek Teachers’ Federation (Διδασκαλική Ομοσπονδία Ελλάδος, DOE)
• the Panhellenic Federation of Public Hospital Employees (Πανελλήνια Ομοσπονδία Εργαζομένων Δημόσιων Νοσοκομείων, POEDIN)
• the Greek Federation of Secondary Education State School Teachers (Ομοσπονδία Λειτουργών Μέσης Εκπαίδευσης, OLME)
• the Panhellenic Federation of Workers Associations in Local Government (Πανελλήνια Ομοσπονδία Εργαζομένων Οργανισμών Τοπικής Αυτοδιοίκησης, POE-OTA)

There have been no recent major organisational developments in trade union organisations.
 

Employer organisations

About employer representation

A company or a single employer becomes a member of an employer organisation on a totally voluntary basis. There is no specific law governing the functioning of employer organisations. The constitution of an employer organisation sets the rules of membership, rights and obligations.
There are various ways in which employer organisations are organised, either horizontally or vertically, according to the sector, the size of the company and the locality. Other employer organisations organise only individual companies, some organise and represent organisations or federations of employers and some do both.

There is a scarcity of data on employer organisation density.

Employer organisation membership and density, 2012–2019

Note: * Percentage of employees working in an establishment that is a member of any employer organisation involved in collective bargaining.

The main organisational trend in recent years has been that the existing peak-level (national) employer organisations have tried to broaden the scope of their organisational capacity/domain and strengthen their representativeness.

This is the case for SEV, which changed its constitution in 2007 in an effort to represent large enterprises and renamed itself (it was formerly the Federation of Greek Industries (Σύνδεσμος Ελληνικών Επιχειρήσεων). In addition, ESEE was also renamed (it was formerly the National Confederation of Hellenic Commerce (Εθνική Συνομοσπονδία Ελληνικού Εμπορίου) and changed its constitution (2014) in order to represent the whole commerce sector as well as SMEs in general. The SBE, the most recently recognised employer organisation, also changed its name (from the SVVE) to broaden its scope.

Main employer organisations

There are five main employer organisations. They are national-level organisations and are recognised as the national social partners (in terms of collective bargaining and social dialogue). It is broadly accepted that they cover most of the economic activity in the country.

SEV was founded in 1907 and initially represented large industrial firms; however, over the years, it has evolved and now represents large companies, irrespective of sector. While some of SEV’s members are individual companies, others are local and sectoral employer organisations. SEV comprises over 600 direct member companies, 6 regional federations and 45 sectoral federations and organisations (2019 data). It is a member of the Confederation of European Business (BusinessEurope) and the International Organisation of Employers.

The GSEVEE was founded in 1919 and is a national-level organisation representing SMEs, mainly in small-scale industry but also in commerce. It comprises 87 federations (56 local and 30 sectoral-level federations and 1 federation for pensioners), with 140,000 individual companies as members (October 2019 data). The GSEVEE is a member of the European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEUnited).

ESEE was founded in 1994 and is a national-level organisation representing mainly SMEs in commerce. ESEE represents 14 federations of traders’ associations, most of them at local level, and 308 local traders’ associations with almost 100,000 member companies (2016 data). ESEE is an affiliated member of both SMEUnited and EuroCommerce.

SETE was founded in 1991 by entrepreneurs in the tourism sector. SETE consists of 13 national sectoral associations (with 49,476 member companies) and 485 separate tourist units (2019 data). SETE was recently recognised as a national social partner equal in rank to the other representative employer organisations following the enactment of Law No. 4144/2013.

The SBE (formerly the SVVE) was established in 1915. Since its foundation, it has been active in efforts to promote not only industrial development, but also economic and social progress in northern Greece. The federation’s members comprise manufacturing companies and industrial organisations. The SVVE was recognised as a new and equal national social partner on 17 July 2018.

Main employer organisations and confederations

Note: * The exact number of direct members cannot be calculated, as the members of the sectoral and regional federations cannot be calculated exactly.

There are no data available on the main trends regarding employer organisation density.

Tripartite and bipartite bodies and concertation

The main tripartite and bipartite bodies in Greece are detailed in this section.

The Economic and Social Council of Greece (Οικονομική και Κοινωνική Επιτροπή της Ελλάδος, ΟΚΕ) was established in 1994 and has followed the European Economic and Social Committee model based on the tripartite-plus structure of the interests represented, namely the employers’ group, the employees’ group and the various interests’ group. The final group represents farmers, freelance professionals, local government, consumers, environmental protection organisations, people with disabilities and organisations that focus on gender equality. OKE’s main role is to issue formal opinions on social and economic issues, either before a draft law is submitted to the parliament or on its own initiative. The OKE bodies are the General Assembly, the Executive Committee, the Council of Presidents, the president and the three vice-presidents. The Executive Committee appoints work committees and a rapporteur in order to collect information and prepare a proposal opinion to be expressed by OKE. The work committee prepares a draft opinion and submits it to the Executive Committee for approval. The final decision on the opinion is taken by the General Assembly. In many cases, the relevant minister participates in the deliberations of the General Assembly. OKE is a permanent consultation body and is authorised by law to provide opinions to the government.
OMED, established under Law No. 1876/1990 (as amended by later legislation), is an independent institution that services the social partners when they fail to conclude a collective agreement. OMED is a bipartite body that is administered by the social partners (Presidential Decree No. 98/2014). Since the SBE was recognised as a national social partner (Law No. 4554/2018, Article 41), the governing board has consisted of 11 members: 5 members appointed by the GSEE, 5 members appointed by the employer organisations (the SEV, ESEE, the GSEVEE, SETE and the SBE) and 1 independent president elected unanimously by the parties. In addition, one representative of the Ministry of Labour participates as an observer on OMED’s administrative board; they do not have the right to vote. OMED’s mission is to provide mediation and arbitration services on collective bargaining according to the existing legislation.

Proposals by the mediators are not binding, but the decisions of the arbitrators are. Under Law No. 1876/1990, trade unions traditionally resorted unilaterally to mediation and arbitration proceedings in order to get an arbitration decision (which, by law, equated to a collective agreement). This unilateral recourse to arbitration was abolished in 2010 by Law No. 3899/2010, but this was partly reversed in 2014 after the Council of State issued a decision (No. 2307/2014) that again made lawful the right of unilateral appeal to arbitration procedures; however, the new regulation (Law No. 4303/2014) established a series of new preconditions regarding the use of the arbitration system, which in practice make it difficult for arbitration to take place.

In 2018, Law No. 4549/2018 maintained the previous arbitration and mediation system, taking into account the decision of the Supreme Court (Council of State). This decision stated that the mediation and arbitration of collective labour disputes had to examine the economic situation and competitiveness in the area of production of the collective dispute (a provision that already existed) and the status of the purchasing power of the salary (an addition). The law also added the possibility of unilateral recourse to arbitration:
•    by any party, when the other party has refused mediation, or
•    when the mediator’s suggestion has been accepted by one party and has been rejected by the other party.

In 2021, the new law (Law No. 4808/2021, Article 98) gave OMED the power to facilitate conciliation between employees and employers.

The ASE has an advisory role, based on Presidential Decree Nos. 184/69 and 368/89. The frequency of the meetings is dependent on the Secretary of the Ministry of Labour calling for the opinion of the ASΕ. The ASE usually meets twice a year. The ASE has seven members: the president (the General Secretary of the Ministry of Labour) and six regular members, consisting of a special advisor or special associate of the Ministry of Labour, an expert in labour policy, a representative of the Ministry of National Economy, a representative of the Ministry of Labour, an employer representative and an employee representative.

The ASE has the authority to investigate, study and give advice on any matter concerning the planning and implementation of labour and social policy. The ASE works in various areas, including remuneration and working conditions in the private sector, remuneration and working conditions in the public sector, gender equality, and health and safety in the workplace.

After the re-establishment of the obligatory extension of sectoral collective agreements with updated terms and procedures, the ASE widened its responsibilities by participating in this process. According to the Ministry of Labour (Circular No. 32921/2175/2018), the Minister of Labour sends the sectoral agreement to the ASE. The ASE then asks the employer organisation that signed the agreement to submit its register of members. This is then forwarded to SEPE, which checks whether the members of the employer organisation employ 51% of employees in the sector concerned. After SEPE’s report of the employment figures, the ASE suggests to the Minister of Labour whether the conditions have been met to extend the signed sectoral agreement and declare it compulsory. If the employer organisation refuses to submit its members’ register, the extension is not possible.

In the context of the ASE’s operation, the Department for Combating Undeclared Work (Τμήμα για την αντιμετώπιση της αδήλωτης Εργασίας) was established in 2017. It was established by Law No. 4468/2017. With the broad involvement of the social partners, it promotes tripartite dialogue and cooperation to with the aim of combating undeclared work. The department came into operation on 25 September 2017. The main topics of the meetings so far have concerned the implementation of the road map for undeclared work for 2017–2019; the study of quantitative and qualitative characteristics and the prevention of undeclared work; and the assessment of systems of administrative sanctions and penalties in general and the establishment of alternative means of compliance. This department is currently inactive.

The National Employment Committee (Εθνική Επιτροπή Απασχόλησης) was established under Law No. 3144/2003, Article 1, paragraph 1 (Government Gazette 111). It was established at the Ministry of Labour with the participation of representatives of the social partners.

The purpose of the committee is to promote social dialogue for the formulation of policies that aim to increase employment and combat unemployment, and to advise on the formulation, monitoring and evaluation of the National Action Plan for Employment (Εθνικό Σχέδιο Δράσης για την Απασχόληση) and generally on employment policies and labour law.

In addition, under Article 85, paragraph 5, of Law No. 4368/2016 (Government Gazette 21), the annual report of the National Institute of Labour and Human Resources (Εθνικό Ινστιτούτο Εργασίας και Ανθρώπινου Δυναμικού) on the results of the mechanism for diagnosing the needs of the labour market is submitted by the Coordination Committee to the National Employment Committee via the Minister of Labour, with the aim of formulating a broader strategy for developing human resources in the country and in particular designing and implementing training programmes.

The meetings of the committee and its ongoing actions strengthen the role of the social partners in redesigning and improving the effectiveness of existing actions and reinforcing the synergies that will benefit long-term prospects for development in the field of employment. Nevertheless, this committee has been inactive since 2013.

Another institution in Greece that promotes dialogue on occupational health and safety between representatives of employers and employees, at national and sectoral levels, is the Council for Health and Safety at Work (Συμβούλιο Υγείας και Ασφάλειας στην Εργασία, SYAE). It is a tripartite-plus representative consultation body that was established in 1985. By legislation (Law No. 3850/2010, Article 26), SYAE provides opinions concerning all occupational health and safety issues, including draft legislation. It consists of representatives from the social partners (the GSEE, SEV, the GSEVEE, ESEE and SETE) and representatives of the Ministry for Development, Competitiveness and Shipping, the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity, the Ministry of Labour, and the Ministry of Finance. It also includes representatives of the Technical Chamber of Greece (Τεχνικό Επιμελητήριο Ελλάδος), the Pan-Hellenic Medical Association (Πανελλήνιος Ιατρικός Σύλλογος), the Greek Chemists’ Association (Ένωση Ελλήνων Χημικών) and the National Association of Local Authorities (Εθνική Ένωση Τοπικών Αρχών).

On 18 April 2022, a new law was implemented (Law No. 4921/2022, Article 27) that provided for the establishment of the National Skills Council (Εθνικό Συμβούλιο Δεξιοτήτων). The aims of the council are as follows: to prepare and implement the workforce skills strategy; to monitor issues related to the continuous vocational training, reskilling and upgrading of skills of the workforce and their connection with the labour market and employment; and to submit suggestions for the formulation of relevant policy to the Minister of Labour or to other competent bodies in accordance with the applicable legislation.

The National Skills Council is appointed by the Ministry of Labour and is chaired by the Governor of the DYPA. It consists of 15 members, including 1 member representing the  employers appointed by their organisations with joint decision.

Main tripartite and bipartite bodies

Workplace-level employee representation

At workplace level, employees are represented by the following bodies:
•    trade unions
•    associations of people
•    works councils
•    health and safety delegates and committees

Company-based trade unions can be established by a minimum of 21 workers in companies or establishments with more than 50 employees (Law No. 1264/1982). A company-based union has full rights in concluding collective agreements and in consultation and information processes.

An association of people is not an officially recognised trade union; the concept of such a body was introduced with Law No. 4024/2011 to facilitate collective bargaining in small enterprises where trade unions are non-existent. An association of people can be established by three-fifths of the employees; there is no limit on how long these associations operate, and they can sign collective agreements for companies of any size.

Works councils can exist alongside company-based councils under Law No. 1767/1988. They have all the rights of information and consultation, but no rights in collective bargaining. Works councils can be set up only in larger workplaces, namely with 50 employees or more, or in workplaces with between 20 and 49 employees if there is no union. However, in practice, the latter does not occur. The request to set up a works council must be made either by the primary-level union or by 10% of the workforce. The members of the works council are elected by the whole workforce and consist only of employees. In reality, only a few companies have works councils and, if there is no union, there will not be a works council. The position of works councils is clearly less powerful than that of unions and they have not been widely set up, other than in larger companies.

Health and safety delegates can be elected in workplaces with more than 20 employees and a health and safety committee can be set up in workplaces with more than 50 employees. Health and safety delegates/committees have a consultative role on the issues concerned (Law No. 1568/1985).

Regulation, composition and competences of the bodies

The central concern of employment relations is the collective governance of work and employment. This section looks at collective bargaining in Greece.

Bargaining system

Before the economic crisis, that is, until 2010, in accordance with the legislation of 1990 (Law No. 1896/90), collective bargaining took place at three levels: the EGSSE set the national minimum wage and conditions of work; sectoral and/or occupational collective agreements set the minimum wage and working conditions for the sectors and occupations in question; and company-based agreements were used at company level. Sectoral/occupational agreements could not set lower wages or less favourable working conditions than those agreed by the EGSSE. In the same way, company-based agreements could not provide for lower wages or less favourable working conditions than those agreed at sectoral level. In addition, at national and sectoral levels, there was an extension mechanism that made the agreements binding for all (employers and employees), while a system of unilateral use of arbitration was in existence.

After 2010, a series of legislative interventions (Law Nos. 3899/2010, 4024/2011, 4046/2012, 4093/2012 and 4172/2013) were made in the established legislative framework of free collective bargaining, radically transforming it.

The changes aimed for full ‘decentralisation’ of collective bargaining. The main intentions of the changes were as follows: to dismantle the ‘hierarchical’ relationship between the bargaining levels in order to weaken the importance and the binding character of intersectoral and sectoral bargaining; to make collective agreements binding only for members of employer organisations and trade unions; to make company-based collective agreements predominant; to abolish the extension mechanism; to establish a voluntary arbitration procedure; and to legislate for a new government mechanism for setting minimum wages (and not the social partners through the EGSSE).

After the end of the Third Economic Adjustment Programme for Greece (20 August 2018), the extension mechanism for sectoral collective agreements and the favourability principle (whereby the most favourable arrangement for a worker applies when an individual contract of employment exists alongside more collective labour agreements) were reinstated. From then until the end of the year, a total of 10 existing national sectoral collective agreements were extended to all employers.

The extension mechanism and the favourability principle have existed since 1990 but had been suspended in 2011. The reinstatement of the expandability of collective labour agreements in 2018 was accompanied by stricter terms and more rigorous checks to ensure that employer organisations cover 51% of the employees in a sector. Moreover, previously, a collective labour agreement that technically expired but was not formally terminated by the employer organisation or the trade union in order to negotiate a new one was considered to have an indefinite duration and validity. The overall result is a significant decrease in the percentage of employee coverage by collective labour agreements after 2012.

Wage bargaining coverage

There are no national data on wage bargaining coverage and there is no monitoring authority or mechanism. The rate of collective wage bargaining coverage is assumed to be very low because of the abolition of the extension mechanism.

Collective wage bargaining coverage of employees at all levels

Note: * Percentage of employees working in local units where more than 50% of the employees are covered by a collective pay agreement against the total number of employees who participated in the survey.

Sources: Eurofound, European Company Survey 2013 and 2019 (including private sector companies with establishments with >10 employees (NACE codes B–S), ); the question in the survey was a multiple choice question and multiple answers were possible); Eurostat [earn_ses10_01], [earn_ses14_01], [earn_ses18_01], Structure of Earnings Survey 2010, 2014 and 2018 (including companies with >10 employees (NACE codes B–S, excluding O), with a single answer for each local unit)

Bargaining levels

Since 2010 and the collective bargaining reforms, the most important/frequently used level of bargaining has been company level.

According to Ministry of Labour data, there is a clear trend across the different levels of collective agreements for decentralisation of collective bargaining.

Since the reintroduction of the extension mechanism for sectoral collective agreements (in August 2018), the situation has changed somewhat. In 2018, a total of 10 existing national sectoral collective agreements were extended to all the employers concerned.

Number of agreements concluded at various levels of bargaining, 2010–2021

Source: Ministry of Labour, INE GSEE, 2023

Characteristics of agreements at different levels of bargaining, 2010–2022

Note: All collective agreements have a maximum period of force of three years.

Company-based agreements are the most common, even though they contain less favourable wage terms than those of the sectoral/professional collective agreements or the EGSEE. However, a company-based agreement cannot set lower wages than those set by the government and must comply with the national minimum wage.

The EGSEE is binding only for members of employer organisations and trade unions.

Regarding working time, the law permits collective agreements on working time arrangements at company level; working time must not exceed 40 hours per week averaged out over one year.

Levels of collective bargaining, 2022

Notes: * Concerns only the working time arrangements within a company without exceeding the total maximum working time set by the law. ** Since 2012, the minimum wage has beenset by the government and the EGSSE includes only non-wage issues. In theory, the EGSSE may determine wages, but only for the signatory parties. *** Weekly working time is a term that was first introduced in the 1984 EGSSE, which was ratified by law, and sets the maximum limits.

Articulation

Since the changes introduced to the system in August 2018, the national minimum wage has been set by the government and this is obligatory for all employers. The sectoral/occupational agreements are obligatory only if they cover 51% of the employees in accordance with the special extension mechanism process provided by the law.

 Company-based agreements apply to the employees of the company and prevail if the sector does not have an obligatory collective agreement.

Timing of the bargaining rounds

Traditionally, negotiation of the EGSSE starts at the beginning of the year after the expiration of the agreement. Sectoral and company-based collective bargaining starts when the previous agreement has expired. There is no specific or fixed period/timing for bargaining rounds.

Coordination

There are no specific coordination mechanisms.

Extension mechanisms

From 1990 until 2011, in accordance with Law No. 1876/90, the Minister of Labour could extend and declare as compulsory a collective agreement for all workers in the industry, if the agreement covered employers that employed 51% of the workforce in the sector in question. The extension could be requested by the competent trade union or the employer organisation.

This extension was suspended while Greece was implementing the bailout agreements (Law No. 4024/2011). With the enactment of a new law (Law No. 4472/17), the extension mechanism was set to be re-established after the end of the support programme in place at that time.

In August 2018, after the suspension period (2012–2018), the extension mechanism was re-established. The new legislation introduced the terms and processes of the extension of the sectoral collective agreements. If the member companies of the sectoral employer organisation that has signed the agreement employ at least 51% of the employees in the sector in question, then the agreement becomes obligatory for the whole sector by a ministerial decision. For this reason, the employer organisations must submit their members’ register voluntarily. If the employer organisations do not submit the register, the obligatory extension of the collective agreement is not possible.

In October 2019, the government revised the extension mechanism once again. According to the newest legislation in force (Law No. 4635/30-10-2019), the extension of a collective agreement or arbitration decision requires the following process. 

• Any of the signatory parties can submit an official application to the Minister of Labour (and send notification to the ASE), accompanied by documentation on the impact of the extension on competitiveness and employment.

• A reasoned opinion is then sent from the ASE to the Minister of Labour, taking the above into account, together with a substantiated attestation from the competent department of the Ministry of Labour that the collective arrangement is binding for employers of more than 50% of the workers in the sector.

• The Minister of Labour then issues the extension.

Furthermore, in the new law, there are exceptions provided for companies facing serious financial difficulties and in a state of bankruptcy or negotiating an out-of-court settlement or financial restructuring. These companies may be exempt if a reasoned opinion is provided by the ASE on the terms or conditions or on the entire collective employment agreement being declared obligatory. In addition, further to a decision by the Minister of Labour and subject to an opinion from the ASE, it is possible for specific companies to be exempted and any relevant issue regarding the implementation of this provision to be identified specifically for each enterprise, especially measures to protect existing jobs.

Derogation mechanisms

Law No. 3845/2010 and subsequent legislation set out the possibility for company-based agreements to derogate from the sectoral/professional collective agreements in question, as well as from the EGSEE. The lower limit is the national minimum wage set by the government.

Since August 2018, however, if a sectoral collective agreement has been made obligatory, the derogation by a company-based agreement is not possible.

In the case of working time issues, lower-level agreements (company-based agreements) can derogate from the higher-level (sectoral) agreements, but, in line with the EGSEE and legislation, the weekly working time cannot exceed 40 hours.

Expiry of collective agreements

According to Law No. 4046/2012, collective agreements can only be fixed-term agreements, with a minimum duration of one year and a maximum duration of three years. Previously, provision was made for the ability to conclude collective agreements of indefinite term as well.

With the same law, the pre-existing system of ‘extension’ and ‘after effect’ of collective agreements changed. Now, when a collective agreement has expired without renewal, only a part of the collective agreement remains in force. The existing framework provides for an extension period of three months for the old collective agreement until the signing of a new one; the new ‘after effect’ regime does not oblige employers to pay the entire amount of employees’ remuneration, but only the basic salary (of the sector, occupation or firm) and four specific allowances related to seniority, children, studies and hazardous work. These reductions can be imposed unilaterally by the employer and without the employee’s consent until replaced by a new collective employment agreement or until a new individual contract is concluded between the employer and the employee, which might contain even more disadvantageous terms. Provision is made to freeze increases following the completion of one year at the same employer, that is, the ‘service maturity’, with suspension of the effect of any relevant law, provision, collective agreement or even arbitration decision.

It is noted that Law No. 4331/2015 re-established the six-month period, but later, through Law No. 4336/2015, the three-month period was established again.

The current situation therefore is that, as each separate collective agreement expires, the agreement remains in force for a three-month period during which it can be renegotiated (in accordance with the most recent version of the law in place (Law No. 4336/2015)).

Peace clauses

As a rule, an obligation to maintain industrial peace is inherent in collective agreements and results from the obligation to implement agreements in good faith. The peace obligation prohibits the parties to the collective agreement from collectively using instruments such as strikes or lockouts during the period of its validity in order to overthrow or modify what was agreed.

Restrictions on the peace obligation may arise from previous collective agreements or arbitration decisions, which are also constitutionally protected. A peace obligation does not have to be agreed solely by a collective agreement but can also be agreed upon by a simple agreement between a trade union and an employer.

Other aspects of working life addressed in collective agreements

Collective labour agreements in Greece traditionally and mainly address salary issues, together with benefits and allowances and other work-related issues such as leave. After removing the ability to fix the minimum salary and wage from the scope of the EGSSE (Law No. 4093/2012 and Act No. 6 of the Cabinet of Ministers), the social partners at national level started to deal with broader issues regarding the labour market and to develop common actions.

In the 2016 EGSEE, the social partners committed to the following:

• ensuring the continuation of institutional conditions established by previous versions of the EGSSE and reaffirming that, in the case of the provisions on intervention in the EGSSE being lifted, they will begin direct negotiations to determine the pay terms of the agreement – including the minimum wage
• agreeing that ‘after exploring the possibility of cooperating with the International Labour Organization, they will take the necessary steps for the implementation of actions to help tackle the refugee immigration problem’
• deciding on the incorporation of the European framework agreement on inclusive labour markets into Greek law, signed on 25 March 2010 by the ETUC, BusinessEurope, UEAPME (now SMEUnited) and the European Centre of Employers and Enterprises providing Public Services
• agreeing to develop an action plan to assess obstacles and implement actions to promote active inclusion in the labour market, for example, looking at issues such as access and reintegration

In the 2017 EGSEE, the social partners agreed to:

• cooperate under the aegis of the Ministry of Labour to combat undeclared work, building on ILO proposals in the 2016 diagnostic report on undeclared work in Greece
• adopt new measures to combat racism and discrimination in the workplace
• approve the text of the National Strategy on Health and Safety at Work from the Hellenic Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (Ελληνικό Ινστιτούτο Υγιεινής και Ασφάλειας στην Εργασία, Elinyae)
• and submit it jointly to the government for adoption

In the 2018 EGSEE, the social partners agreed to set up joint technical study groups on the following topics:

• the Occupational Social Security Fund (Ταμείο Επαγγελματικής Ασφάλισης)
• business restarts – rescuing jobs
• guidelines for effective collective bargaining

They also agreed to undertake joint projects on the following topics:

• the future of work
• vocational training

Finally, they requested that the government set up a permanent tripartite consultation council, as provided for in ILO Convention No. 144.

The 2018 EGSSE was extended by a decision of the Minister of Labour, firstly until 31 December 2019 and then later in 2020 until 31 December 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the 2021 EGSEE, the social partners agreed to the following:

• to adopt the European framework agreement on digitalisation at work that was signed by the European social partners in June 2020 and to develop activities on developing digital skills, continuing vocational training and certification, and the just transition of workers to a low-carbon economy
• to reaffirm support for the ratification of ILO Convention No. 190 and Recommendation No. 206 on combating violence and sexual harassment at work

The 2022 EGSSE extended the content of the 2021 EGSEE until 30 June 2023. It also included the establishment of a working group with the aim of formulating a proposal for the non-profit legal entity under the Special Account for Vocational Training (Ειδικός Λογαριασμός Επαγγελματικής Κατάρτισης, ELEK), which the national social partners will govern autonomously.

The right to strike is protected by the Greek Constitution (Article 23(1)). A lawful strike may be called only by ‘legally constituted’ trade unions. According to Law No. 1264/1982, a primary union may call a strike only by a decision of its general assembly. According to a new law (Law No. 4808/2021, Article 86), which amended the previous law (Law No. 4152/2018), the decision to call a strike in a company/plant requires a natural or distance vote by 50% of the ‘financially settled union members’ (i.e. those who have paid membership fees). However, for brief stoppages of a few hours, which may not be repeated more often than once a week, a decision of the union’s executive council is sufficient unless its standing rules stipulate otherwise.

Law No. 1264/1982 provided that in the case of secondary-level unions (federations) and the confederation level (the GSEE), a strike is called by a decision of their executive council unless their standing rules stipulate otherwise. There is an obligation to give the employer at least 24 hours’ notice of the intention to strike and the demands. With respect to public service and utility enterprises, four days’ notice is required. The trade union organisation that calls a strike must ensure that, for the duration of the strike, emergency staff remain available in sufficient numbers to guarantee the safety of the plant and equipment and to prevent disasters or accidents. The recruitment of strike-breakers is not permitted during a strike, while a lockout is explicitly prohibited by law.

A new law (Law No. 4808/2021) made the context in which a strike can be implemented stricter. It states the following.

• The employer must be notified at least 24 hours before the occurrence of even short work stoppages.
• Public or public utility companies may not hold a strike until at least four days have elapsed following notification of their demands. This notification must be provided in a document that is submitted by a bailiff to the employer, the ministry exercising the relevant supervision and the Ministry of Labour. In addition, before the strike or a short work stoppage takes place, the trade unions must submit a request to OMED for a public dialogue. For the duration of the public debate, the exercise of the right to strike is suspended and it is forbidden to bring an action before the competent courts on issues related to the strike in question.
• Trade unions that declare a strike must have at their disposal the necessary security personnel during the strike for the safety of the company’s premises and the prevention of disasters and accidents.
• In addition to security personnel, there is an obligation, especially for public or utility companies, to provide the minimum guaranteed service personnel to address the basic needs of society as a whole during the strike, defined as at least one-third of the service normally provided. The percentage of minimum guaranteed service personnel (i.e. the security personnel and, where required, the minimum guaranteed service personnel) is therefore agreed between the most representative trade union of the enterprise and the employer and notified to the Ministry of Labour by 25 November each year.

If any of the above is not the case, the strike is declared illegal.

Other forms of industrial action outside the legal framework, such as blockages and unofficial strikes, are illegal.

According to a recent law (Law No. 4325/2015), the ‘political conscription of strikers’ (the obligation to end the strike and provide compulsory work or services) is prohibited in general and is permitted only and strictly in the case of war, national defence or physical disaster or when public health is threatened.

The most important/frequent types of strikes in Greece are:

• general strikes (Γενική απεργία), which are called by the confederation (GSEE) in all sectors of the economy; all employees have the right to stop work and this type of strike usually takes the form of a 24-hour strike
• work stoppages (Στάσηεργασίας), which are called by the trade union at the appropriate level (national, sectoral/professional or company) for fewer hours than a full working day
• sectoral strikes (Κλαδική απεργία), which are called by a sectoral federation or by a sectoral/professional primary-level union against the employer or against the government in the case of public sector unions

Other industrial actions include rallies, marches, withdrawal of labour, picketing and demonstrations.

Developments in industrial action, 2012–2021

Source: INE-GSEE, 2022

Dispute resolution mechanisms

Collective dispute resolution mechanisms

The collective dispute resolution mechanisms in Greece are as follows.

• Conciliation (Law No. 4808/2021): The mechanism takes place under the authority of OMED. The process of conciliation examines collective disputes on the implementation of labour legislation in the workplace, implementation of the collective agreements and issues that are not covered by collective agreements. Conciliation is voluntary and it is distinct from mediation and arbitration mechanisms.
• Mediation (Law Nos. 1876/1990, 3899/2010, 4046/2012, 4303/2014 and 4549/2018): The mechanism takes place under the authority of OMED and starts after the failure of negotiations to conclude a collective agreement. The mediation procedure may be requested by any party unilaterally or jointly. Mediation is conducted by an independent mediator, who helps the parties to achieve agreement. At the end of the process, the mediator has the right to submit a proposal for a resolution, unless the parties agree to proceed to the collective agreement.
• Arbitration (Law Nos. 1876/1990, 3899/2010, 4046/2012, 4303/2014 and 4549/2018): The mechanism takes place under the authority of OMED and starts at any stage of the negotiations if the arbitration is agreed among the parties (employers and trade unions) or unilaterally in the following cases: by any party, when the other party has refused the mediation, or; when the mediator’s suggestion has been accepted by one party and has been rejected by the other party. Arbitration is conducted by an independent person (arbitrator) or by a three-member Arbitrators’ Committee. The decision is as binding as the collective agreement.

• Revision of the arbitration system (Law No. 4635/2019): This law reversed completely the previous legislation regarding the right to have unilateral recourse to arbitration. According to this law, unilateral arbitration may take place only as a last resort for resolving collective labour disputes and exclusively in the following cases: if the collective dispute relates to companies/undertakings of social or public interest, the operation of which is vital to the basic needs of the community at large, or; if the collective dispute relates to the conclusion of a collective agreement and the negotiations between the parties fail definitively but an agreement is needed for the general social or public interest in relation to the functioning of the Greek economy.

Individual dispute resolution mechanisms

The individual dispute resolution mechanisms in Greece are outlined in this section.

Law No. 4808/2021 (Article 122) abolished the process of conciliation, which was provided in Law No. 3996/2011, and provided new rules on the process of labour dispute resolution.

• Conciliation: Law No. 4808/2021 (Article 98), which amended Law No. 3996/2011, provides that the mechanism takes place under the authority of OMED in order to solve collective disputes or individual disputes of collective interest, between an employer organisation or a single employer and a trade union or employee representatives. It has a voluntary character. At the end of the conciliation process, the conciliator can make suggestions and the problem is recorded in minutes, which state if there is agreement or disagreement between the parties. Before Law No. 4808/2021, the conciliation process was under the competence of SEPE.
• Labour dispute resolution: Law No. 4808/2021 (Article 122), which amended Law No. 3996/2011, provides that the mechanism takes place under the authority of SEPE. A labour dispute is considered to be any type of disagreement between an employee or group of employees and the employer arising from the employment relationship regarding the implementation and enforcement of labour law provisions. In order to resolve labour disputes, the employer and the relevant employees or trade unions have the right to request the intervention of the Inspector of Labour Relations (Επιθεωρητής Εργασιακών Σχεσεων του). During the discussion of labour disputes, the parties can be represented in person or by a legal representative or other authorised person. After the discussion, the problem is recorded in minutes and signed by the parties and the Inspector of Labour Relations, who is required to express an opinion on the dispute. At the same time, the Inspector of Labour Relations may impose any of the administrative penalties provided by the law after issuing written explanations. If violations of labour law are criminal offences, the Inspector of Labour Relations can sue or file a complaint with the competent prosecutor.

Use of dispute resolution mechanisms, 2012–2019

Sources: SEPE, 2014 (for 2012 and 2013 data); data for 2014–2019 obtained by SEPE via emails and interviews

‘Individual employment relations’ refers to the relationship between the individual worker and their employer. This relationship is shaped by legal regulation and by the outcomes of social partner negotiations over terms and conditions. This section looks at the start and termination of the employment relationship and entitlements and obligations in Greece.

Start and termination of the employment relationship

Requirements regarding an employment contract

The formal requirements to enter into an employment relationship are a written job contract between the employer and the employee, an obligation by the employer to submit details of the contract to the electronic database of the Ministry of Labour (Ergani) and the recruitment of the employee on the day of hiring. The minimum working age is 15 years.

Dismissal and termination procedures

In fixed-term job contracts, the termination of the employment relationship is automatic when the employment period is finished. The employer is not required to give written notice to the employee and no compensation is given.

In indefinite job contracts, the employment relationship is terminated if the employer or employee renounces the job contract, if the employer (under restrictions) or the employee dies or if there is common agreement between the employer and the employee, usually due to retirement.

The termination of the job contract by the employer (dismissal) can be done either with a notification period determined by years of employment (whereby the employee takes 50% of the compensation amount) or without notification (whereby the employee takes the full amount of compensation). In this case, a written dismissal notice is required, together with the instalment of the compensation. According to Law No. 4093/2012, the full compensation amount is determined based on the years of seniority with the same employer, and the calculation is based on the regular earnings of the employee’s last month of employment. The minimum amount of compensation is equal to 2 months’ salary for seniority of over one year, while the maximum amount is equal to 12 months’ salary for seniority of 16 years or more.

Entitlements and obligations

Parental, maternity and paternity leave

In Greece, there are provisions in the private sector for maternity leave, paternity leave, childcare leave and parental leave.

Maternity leave (basic) is a total of 17 weeks (8 weeks before childbirth and 9 weeks afterwards). The employee’s salary is paid for 15 days if she has worked for the company for 1 year; the salary is paid for 1 month if she has worked for the company for more than 1 year.

Maternity leave (special) is a total of six months and is granted after maternity leave and before the beginning of the use of childcare leave.

A new law (Law No. 4808/2021) extends the relevant maternity leave remuneration and allowances to women who have adopted a child up to eight years of age and to women who have a child through the procedure of surrogacy.

A new law (Law No. 4808/2021, Article 27) provides paternity leave for fathers of newly born children equal to 14 working days paid by the employer. This can be used in one of two ways. The first 2 days are taken before the expected date of birth and the remaining days are taken within 30 days from the date of birth. Alternatively, all days are taken after the date of birth. Before Law No. 4808/2021 was enacted, paternity leave consisted of two days of paid leave at the time of the child’s birth.

A new law (Law No. 4808/2021) provides parental leave of four months, granted continuously or in parts for both parents (according to the employee’s application and relevant consultation with the employer) until the child reaches eight years of age. For the first two months of parental leave, the DYPA must pay a parental leave allowance equal to the minimum statutory salary on a monthly basis to each parent. The only condition is that the employee must have been employed by the same employer for one year. If there are more children, the parents have the right to take leave for them as well, as long as one year of actual employment with the same employer has elapsed since the end of the leave granted for the previous child. Exceptionally, parents of twins, triplets or more multiple children are entitled to receive parental leave for each child separately, intermittently or even continuously, without a year of actual service intervening. In the case of the adoption or fostering of a child up to eight years of age, parental leave is granted from the time the child joins the family. Alternatively, upon the employee’s request, parental leave may be granted in the form of reduced daily hours or on leave days, without prejudice to the employee’s right to receive the parental leave allowance.

Before Law No. 4808/2021 was enacted, parental leave was four months per child for each parent until the child reached six years of age. The leave was unpaid.

In the case of childcare leave, a parent can take time off work with full payment up to an estimated period of between three and three and a half months, either by working fewer hours per day or by taking all the leave at once.

Statutory leave arrangements

Sick leave

The employee can claim half pay for the first 3 days of sickness and full pay for 15 days for their first year in employment or 30 days for any year thereafter, less the amount that the employee receives from their social security provider.

The employee’s illness, as accepted by court jurisprudence, constitutes a significant reason for the employee's absence from work without incurring adverse consequences for them. Being absent from work due to a short-term illness is not considered a termination of the employment contract by the employee.

A ‘short-term’ illness is considered one that lasts: a) 1 month for those who have served up to 4 years; b) 3 months for those who have served more than 4 and up to 10 years; c) 4 months for those who have served more than 10 years; d) 6 months for those who have served more than 15 years (Article 3 of Law No. 4558/1930).

Length of absence that constitutes a ‘short-term’ illness (Ασθένεια βραχείας διάρκειας)

Exceeding the limits of the short-term illness does not, on its own, result in the automatic termination of the employment relationship. Instead, the termination of the employment contract is judged in each specific case by the competent courts.

Retirement age

In general, there is a distinction in retirement provisions for employees who began paying social insurance before 1993 and those who started paying social insurance more recently. In line with Law No. 3863/2010 and after a transitional period, from 1 January 2013 onwards, new requirements for retirement were established.

The minimum requirements for retirement with the full pension amount are being 67 years of age for both men and women with at least 15 years of work or being 62 years of age for both men and women with 40 years of work.

For a reduced pension amount, the retirement age is 62 years for both women and men. There are various exemptions from this rule for some professional categories and for people with disabilities.

More recently, Law Nos. 4336/2015 and 4387/2016 and the related ministry circulars for their application stipulate that, from 1 January 2022, the general age limits for full and reduced pensions will apply to all, namely

• 67 years of age for a full pension if 20 years of social security payments (6,000 work days) have been made
• 62 years of age for a full pension if 40 years of social security payments have been made
• 62 years of age for a partial pension

However, the pension rights established up to 18 August 2015 are not affected and can be exercised at any time. The regulations exempt workers in heavy and arduous professions and workers who retire as blind insured people, as well as insured people who are mothers or widowed fathers of disabled offspring who are not capable of work.

In addition, in May 2016, Law No. 4387/2016 introduced an extensive reform of the social security and pension system. The new legislation establishes a unique social security fund for all (the National Social Security Fund (Εθνικός Φορέας Κοινωνικής Ασφάλισης, EFKA)); establishes the national pension of €384 at the age of 67 years; increases social contributions for employers, employees and the self-employed; introduces a new calculating method; and reduces the amounts of the basic and supplementary pensions.

For workers, pay is a reward for their work and their main source of income; for employers, it is a cost of production and a focus of bargaining and legislation. This section looks at minimum wage setting in Greece.

Average monthly wages for 2012 and 2019 for the various NACE codes are shown in the table below.

Average monthly wage per worker (€), 2012 and 2019*

Notes: Data processing was undertaken by the INE-GSEE (George Kritikidis). * All of the NACE codes refer to the private sector except NACE code O.

Source: Elstat, Labour Force Survey 2012 and 2019 (Q2)

Minimum wages

Until 2010, the national minimum wage was determined through national collective bargaining. On 15 July 2010, the last EGSSE incorporating wage terms was signed. It had a duration of three years and covered the years 2010, 2011 and 2012. The EGSSE was signed by the national social partners SEV, GSEVEE, ESEE and GSEE.

According to this agreement, the minimum wage was set as follows:

• 2010: €739.56
• from 1 July 2011: €751.39
• from 1 July 2012: based on the terms of the contract, there was a provision for the wage to increase to €770.92

However, from 14 February 2012 until the conclusion of the fiscal adjustment programme, under Ministerial Council Act No. 6/28-2-2012, Article 1, the government unilaterally set the minimum wage at €586.08 (-22%). In addition, it introduced for the first time a sub-minimum wage of €510.95 (-32%) for young people under the age of 25. 

Through Law Nos. 4046/2012 and 4093/2012, the government intervened for the first time since 1990 in free collective bargaining and the formation of the national minimum wage through the EGSSE. These laws introduced a decrease of 22% (and 32% for workers under 25 years of age) compared with the 2012 national minimum wage (€751.40). In 2022, the new national minimum wage, which had applied from March 2012, remained lower than it had been in 2012. As of 1 April 2023, the minimum wage was a little higher (€780) than the minimum wage of 2012 ( €751).

In 2013, following extensive consultation, Article 103 of Law No. 4172/2013 (Government Gazette A' 167) introduced a new system for determining the statutory minimum wage. This article authorises the Minister of Labour to issue a decision for its determination, with the unanimous opinion of the Ministerial Council.

The 2017 annual report from the INE-GSEE notes:

During the recent economic crisis, employees paid with the minimum wage in various EU countries have suffered losses in real terms due to a slowdown in nominal increases and a failure to keep pace with rising prices, and/or the freezing of minimum wages. However, no EU country apart from Greece – including those in an economic adjustment programme – has made a nominal reduction in the minimum wage during the crisis. Greece is the only EU country in which, under the second memorandum, an unprecedentedly large 22% nominal reduction of the minimum wage (32% for young people under 25) was imposed in 2012.

(INE-GSEE, 2017)

Subsequent legislation (Law No. 4172/2013, Article 103) established a new mechanism for setting the national minimum wage. Since 1 January 2017, the minimum wage has been set by a final decision of the Ministry of Labour following consultation with the national social partners. The consultation period starts at the beginning of each year and the final ministerial decision is issued at the end of June. This mechanism was applied for the first time in Greece in 2018. In determining the minimum wage for 2019 in particular, Law No. 4564/2018, as amended, provided for specific dates for the consultation, which started in August 2018 and ended in January 2019.

Following the completion of the tripartite consultation to set the minimum wage, the Minister of Labour issued Decision No. 4241/127, which increased the minimum wage from €580 to €650 (gross) from 1 February 2019. This was an increase of about 11%.

Under the same decision, the €510.95 sub-minimum wage for young people under the age of 25 was abolished. As of 2019, there was one minimum wage (€650) for all employees, irrespective of age, which represents an increase for under-25s of about 27%. The new rules also result in increases to 24 allowances or benefits linked to the minimum wage (unemployment benefit, special maternity benefit and employment schemes).

The minimum wage remained at the same level until 2022. On 1 January 2022, the minimum wage increased to €663 and on 1 May 2022 it increased to €713.

Minimum wage, 2013–2022

Working time is ‘any period during which the worker is working, at the employer’s disposal and carrying out his activity or duties, in accordance with national laws and/or practice’ (Directive 2003/88/EC). This section briefly summarises the regulation of and issues regarding working time, overtime, part-time work and working time flexibility in Greece.

Working time regulation

Since 1975, working time has been reduced gradually from 48 to 40 hours per week.

The 1984 EGSSE (which was ratified by law) definitively established 40 hours as the maximum legal weekly working time. The law also permitted agreements on fewer working hours through collective agreements at sectoral or company level, and some sectoral agreements brought in a shorter working time.

Although the general rule is still that working time is 40 hours per week, there is also the possibility for a company to implement a (collective) working time arrangement under Law No. 3986/2011 (see the ‘Working time flexibility’ section). In addition, special legislative provisions apply to undertakings that operate using shifts.

Law No. 4808/2021 (Article 55) set the full contractual working hours as 40 hours per week allocated in a 5- or a 6-day work schedule; for a 5-day schedule, the daily work schedule is 8 hours per day and, for a 6-day schedule, the daily schedule is 6 hours and 40 minutes per day.

However, the legal working hours (before being considered overtime) are 9 hours per day and 45 hours per week – the upper limit of daily work can be exceeded by 1 hour without it being considered overtime as long as the total working hours do not exceed the legal weekly hours.

All statutory wages, as well as those provided for by collective labour agreements, arbitration decisions and individual labour contracts, refer to work of 40 hours per week. Any excess of daily and weekly contractual hours obliges the employer to pay additional remuneration.

In any case, weekly employment hours (including overtime) may not exceed 48 hours, with maximum daily employment hours (again including overtime) of 10 hours. If these hours are worked over four days per week, this is considered full-time employment. Such an employment arrangement must be agreed in writing between the employer and the employee, upon the employee’s request. The employer cannot terminate the employment because the employee did not submit a relevant request.

Overtime regulation

The contractual working hours for a 5-day work schedule are 8 hours per day and for a 6-day work schedule are 6 hours and 40 minutes per day.

Law No. 3863/10 sets out that work between 41 and 45 hours a week in a five-day schedule or between 41 and 48 hours a week in a six-day schedule is called ‘extra work’ and is not taken into account in the limits specified for permissible overtime. The extra work is compensated with a 20% increase in the hourly wage.

Work exceeding nine hours a day in a five-day working schedule (45 hours a week) or eight hours a day in a six-day working schedule (48 hours a week) is called overtime.

Overtime within the limits specified by law is lawful overtime, but the limit depends on the sector of employment (industry, retail outlets or offices). A notice of overtime work must be sent to the authority either before or after the overtime takes place, depending on whether it is urgent or not, and must be entered in the electronic working time/overtime register. Overtime exceeding the lawful limit or for which the aforementioned procedures are not complied with is unlawful overtime. Overtime work is compensated with a 40% increase in the usual hourly pay and with a 60% increase when overtime exceeds 120 hours annually. 

Law No. 4808/2021 made significant changes to overtime, the maximum amount of legal overtime permitted per year, the remuneration of employees who work overtime and the obligations of employers to declare overtime.

• For all workers, including workers in industry, maximum daily legal overtime is three hours and annual legal overtime is 150 hours.
• For each hour of legal overtime, the employee is entitled to a 40% increase in the hourly wage.
• In cases of work of an urgent nature, after permission is granted from the Ministry of Labour for overtime beyond 150 hours per year, employees who perform the relevant hours of overtime are entitled to a 60% increase in the contractual hourly rate.
• The employer is obliged to register employees’ legal overtime in the Ergani electronic system before the employees actually start the overtime. However, the obligation to register extra work no longer applies.
• Employers that employ drivers of lorries and tourist buses that are permanently constructed or configured and suitable for the transport of more than nine people are exempt from the obligation to register employees’ overtime in advance with the Ergani system.
• Every hour of overtime work for which the legal requirements are not met (that is, the maximum limits indicated above and a relevant declaration in Ergani) is considered illegal overtime, for which the employee is entitled to a 120% increase in the contractual hourly rate.

Part-time work

In recent years, part-time work has been on the rise, and female employees have been the main contributors to this increase. Part-time work was initially introduced in 1990 (Law No. 1892/1990) and, in 1998 (Law No. 2639/1998), it was also introduced to public services.

The latest legislation (Law No. 3846/2010) defines part-time work as employment shorter than the normal working time on a daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis – in other words, fewer hours than the normal working time. The normal working time is based on a comparable full-time employee in the same undertaking. The agreement reached between an employer and an employee, whether at the outset of employment or at a subsequent point in time, must be in writing. The written form is constitutive of the part-time work contract (and failure to comply with this formality will render the contract invalid). Moreover, the local labour inspectorate offices must be notified of the part-time work contract within eight days, otherwise it will be presumed to be concealing a full-time employment contract.

According to Law No. 4635/2019 (Article 59), a part-time employee is entitled to receive a 12% increase on the agreed pay for each additional hour of work beyond the agreed hours. This provision also concerns those employed on a rotating basis in the event that they are employed on an extra working day.

Part-time employment is more common among women than among men. The proportion of women in part-time work is higher by 5–7 percentage points than that of men in part-time work (Elstat Labour Force Survey, 1981–2015, in-house processing). Nevertheless, the same survey found that, from 2009 to 2015, the main reason (for about 70% of respondents) for working part-time for both sexes was the difficulty of finding full-time work. In addition, as women face higher rates of unemployment and have greater difficulty finding work because they have multiple roles and responsibilities (work and family), part-time work – although not their first choice – gives them an opportunity to access the labour market.

Data from the EU Labour Force Survey of 2019 found that the percentage of workers employed part-time in Greece was about half the EU average for the same period (9% in Greece versus 17.8% in the EU27). Although part-time employment for both women and men had increased in Greece over the previous six years, the increase remained below the EU average, especially for women, with Greece experiencing an increase of 13.4% compared with 29.4% in the EU27.

Night work

Night work is work from 22:00 to 06:00. All or part of the work may be performed at night for the corresponding pay; for example, for work from 18:00 to 02:00, four hours (from 18:00 to 22:00) is considered day work, while the other four hours (from 22:00 to 02:00) constitute night work.

Night work is paid at the standard daily wage rate plus a 25% increase in the hourly wage.

If an employee works overtime at night, then the overtime increase is calculated according to the hourly rate, which is already increased by 25% for night work. The same calculation is made in the case of night work on a Sunday. This also entails more favourable provisions, regulations, agreement minutes and so on (Presidential Decree No. 88/1999).

Shift work

Shift work means any method of organising work in shifts whereby workers succeed each other at the same workstations according to a certain pattern, including a rotating pattern, and which may or may not be continuous, entailing the need for workers to work at different times over a given period of days or weeks.

Enterprises or undertakings that, by their nature, operate continuously and non-continuously may operate continuously in whole or in part, with an operating system of four alternating work teams. The employee’s consent is required for them to work in a system of four alternating work teams.

The remuneration of employees in these companies for Saturday and Sunday, working in 2 alternating shifts for 12 hours a day, including overtime, night work, Sundays and days off, may not be less than the remuneration for 40 hours, and their social security is paid for 6 days a week (Law No. 1892/1990 and Presidential Decree No. 88/1999).

Weekend work

By law, the week has six working days when a five-day working week does not already apply. The seventh day, usually Sunday, is a mandatory weekly day of rest. Weekly rest is a right of the employee and an obligation of the employer. Employees who are legally employed on a Sunday are paid the legal daily wage or 1/25 of the monthly salary plus 75% of the statutory hourly rate.

In the case of Sunday overtime, remuneration is calculated on the basis of the daily Sunday wage, namely increased by 75%. Sunday night work is calculated in the same way. In the case of night overtime, wages that are increased by 75% for Sunday working will then be increased by a further 25% for night work, after which overtime will be calculated.

In some enterprises, which are defined by law, work is permitted on a Sunday. In this case, an alternative day of rest must be given to the employee in the next week. If more than five hours are worked on a Sunday, a full alternative day off must be granted. If fewer than five hours are worked, a corresponding number of hours of rest must be granted.

Work performed on a Saturday in violation of the 5-day system of work, regardless of penalties, must be remunerated with the daily wage plus an additional 30%. If the total weekly employment exceeds 40 hours but not 45 hours (or 48 hours for a 6-day week), the employee will receive extra pay for extra time, but if it exceeds 45 hours a week, they will receive extra pay for overtime.

Rest and breaks

Law No. 4093/2012 (Article 14, sub-paragraph XI), which replaced Article 3 of Presidential Decree No. 88/1999, establishes a minimum daily rest of 11 consecutive hours for each period of 24 hours, instead of 12 hours under the previous arrangement. This period of 24 hours begins at 00:01 and ends at 24:00.

The minimum daily rest expressly laid down in Directive 93/104/EC (now Directive 2003/88/EC) applies to cases of shifts as laid down as a working system in Presidential Decree No. 88/1999. Therefore, a worker employed in a shift system should have a daily rest of 11 consecutive hours between the end of one shift and the beginning of the next, unlimited by the period of 24 hours that begins at 00:01 and ends at 24:00.

The new law (Law No. 4808/2021) provides for the following entitlements.

• Those employees with a daily working time exceeding four continuous hours are entitled to a break of 15–30 minutes, during which the employees have the right to leave the workplace. Such breaks shall be provided in the middle of the day, not at the start or end of the day.
• Full-time employees who are employed with a daily split working schedule for all or some days of the week shall be entitled to a rest of at least three hours between the two parts of their daily work schedule.

Working time flexibility

In accordance with Law No. 3986/2011 on the annual flexible working time arrangement, the period during which the extension of daily working hours is permitted was extended to six months.

Employees are permitted to work up to two hours extra per day for six months (previously it was four months) within the reference year. The working hours must not exceed 48 hours per week. Additional hours are removed from the working hours of another period or compensated for with a day off.

Alternatively, the law allows the allocation of up to 256 hours within one year during a period of 32 weeks and a corresponding reduced number of hours during the rest of the year.

The organisation of working time, according to Law No. 3986/2011, can be determined only through company-based or sectoral collective agreement with the union(s) or the works council (if one exists). Finally, and depending on the particularities of the sector or company, there is the possibility to determine through collective agreement an alternative working time system independently of that defined by law.

In addition, according to Law No. 4093/12, the minimum hours of rest per day is 11 hours (this was previously 12 hours).

In 2021, Law No. 4808/2021 (Article 59) introduced changes to the organisation of working time. It provides for the possibility of working full time for 40 hours per week over 4 days (10 hours per day), at the request of the employee. It is not permissible to work more than 10 hours per day and 40 hours per week when working on a 4-day basis. If there is no trade union organisation in the company and if no agreement has been reached by collective agreement, the arrangement of working time provided for in Law No. 1892/1990 can be implemented by individual agreement, at the request of the employee. In this case, the employer must examine the requests of employees for the conclusion of an individual agreement. For the convenience of the parties involved, the employer can, on the one hand, notify the employees of the possibility of submitting an application and, on the other hand, advise them of the business needs for the implementation of a system for the arrangement of working time. The employer is obliged to submit the agreement for the arrangement of working time to the Ergani system.

Maintaining health and well-being should be a high priority for workers and employers alike. Health is an asset closely associated with a person’s quality of life and longevity, as well as their ability to work. A healthy economy depends on a healthy workforce: organisations can experience loss of productivity through the ill health of their workers. This section looks at psychosocial risks and health and safety at work in Greece.

Health and safety at work

In 2021, Law No. 4808/2021 introduced measures against violence and harassment at work.

Enterprises employing more than 20 people are obliged to undertake a consultation process within the company to adopt a policy in the workplace to prevent and combat violence and harassment at work.

This policy should include the following elements:

• an assessment of the risks of violence and harassment
• measures to prevent, reduce and address risks, to inform and raise the awareness of staff of these risks and to provide information on the rights and obligations of workers and the employer
• the designation of a reference person (liaison)

The same law provides SEPE with enhanced powers in the case of an imminent risk to the life, health or safety of workers from such incidents.

The latest Eurostat statistics show that there was a slight decrease in the total number of accidents in 2012 as compared with 2011, but a slight increase in the number of accidents per 1,000 employees.

In addition, according to SEPE's 2013 annual report, the accidents declared for the years 2011–2013 were as follows: in 2011 there were 5,203 accidents, of which 70 were fatal occupational accidents and 31 were fatal accidents caused by an employee’s underlying health condition; in 2012 there were 4,858 accidents, of which 64 were fatal occupational accidents and 19 were fatal accidents caused by an employee’s underlying health condition; in 2013 there were 5,126 accidents, of which 67 were fatal occupational accidents and 25 were fatal accidents caused by an employee’s underlying health condition.

In more recent years, according to data from SEPE, the situation was as follows.

• in 2014 there were 5,497 accidents, of which 63 were fatal occupational accidents and 25 were fatal accidents with a pathological cause
• in 2015 there were 5,930 accidents, of which 67 were fatal occupational accidents and 33 were fatal accidents with a pathological cause
• in 2016 there were 6,515 accidents, of which 73 were fatal occupational accidents and 39 were fatal accidents with a pathological cause.

Data on accidents at work are available until 2016.

According to EFKA (formerly IKA) annual reports, the number of accidents decreased from 3.2 per 1,000 workers in 2011 to 2.4 per 1,000 workers in 2012. Between 2013 and 2019 the figure remained stable at 2 accidents per 1,000 workers. During the same period, there was a drop in the total number of accidents. The total number of accidents fell from 5,973 in 2011 to 4,114 in 2013. However, since 2014, the number of accidents has increased every year. Overall, between 2010 and 2019, there was a drop in the total number of accidents; the average rate of reduction was 4.1%.

Number of accidents at work, 2010 - 2019

Source: EFKA, 2021 

Psychosocial risks

The national legislation on health and safety addresses psychological risks at the workplace. Law No. 3850/2010, which codifies the responsibilities of employers and other relevant regulations (Presidential Decree No. 159/99), tackles the issue of psychological risks. The employer is obliged to conduct a written risk assessment in the workplace. The risk assessment plan also has to refer to the risks arising from work organisation. These risks may be caused by work organisation (intensification, monotony or shift work), psychological factors (atypical work or mobbing), ergonomic factors (a non-ergonomic workstation) or difficult working conditions (work with unsuitable equipment or work in adverse climatic conditions). The risk assessment also serves as a self-control tool for the employer, and the health and safety committees have the right to be informed of the results of the assessment, which can form part of the dialogue on health and safety rules in the workplace.

According to Eurofound’s European Working Conditions Surveys, Greece has seen high levels of work intensity during recent decades and increased levels of long working hours; however, on the other hand, discrimination at work seems to be a minor problem.

Skills are the passport to employment; the more highly skilled an individual, the more employable they are. People with good skills also tend to secure better-quality jobs and better earnings. This section briefly summarises the Greek system for ensuring skills and employability and looks at training provision.

National system for ensuring skills and employability

Law No. 3879/2010 refers to the system of lifelong learning in Greece, its development, the supervising authorities and the functioning of the training providers. The law has established a National Council of Lifelong Learning and Employment (Εθνικό Συμβούλιο Δια Βίου Μάθησης και Απασχόλησης), which is a multipartite body in which the national social partners are represented. In this context, an annual national conference on promoting lifelong learning and connecting it with employment is organised.

The legislation also refers to the organisation and development of the National Framework of Skills (Εθνικό Πλαίσιο Δεξιοτήτων) and the certification of skills and qualifications according to the European guidelines.

The National Organisation for the Certification of Qualifications and Vocational Guidance (Εθνικός Οργανισμός Πιστοποίησης Προσόντων και Επαγγελματικού Προσανατολισμού, EOPPEP) is the public institution responsible for lifelong learning and skills identification in Greece.

EOPPEP develops and implements comprehensive national systems for the accreditation of non-formal and informal learning. It provides scientific and technical support in designing and implementing the vocational guidance national policy, as well as the provision of such services in Greece.

EOPPEP’s mission is to supervise and ensure quality standards and procedures in:

• inputs, namely ensuring the availability of accredited providers of vocational education and training programmes, which are developed based on accredited standards and specifications and accredited occupational profiles, and employing accredited trainers for adults with the aid of accredited support service professionals for socially vulnerable groups
• output-learning outcomes, namely ensuring that accredited knowledge, skills and competences are acquired via non-formal and informal learning pathways, as well as the certification of qualifications
• vocational guidance and counselling services, namely ensuring viable services and tools are used for supporting citizens of all ages, as well as educational information tools that are based on the latest information and communications technology applications

Training

Vocational training in Greece is provided by private institutions, including those of the social partners, and supervised by EOPPEP (Ministry of Education). Programmes of continuing vocational training are aimed at both those who are unemployed and those who are employed. In the case of unemployed people, the trend in recent years has been for training to take place at company level (on-the-job training).

With regard to public institutions, the DYPA is active in the field of primary vocational training (which takes place after secondary school level up to the age of 18) and operates 31 vocational training institutes, providing education in 47 professions, certified to level 5 of the European Qualifications Framework.

In addition, the DYPA is the public institution responsible for the apprenticeship system. It runs 51 apprenticeship schools, providing two-year training programmes in a variety of technical professions. The apprenticeship system is aimed at young people aged 16–23 years who have been awarded a lyceum certificate (upper secondary leaving certificate).

The principle of equal treatment requires that all people – and, in the context of the workplace, all workers – have the right to receive the same treatment, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of criteria such as age, sex, disability, nationality, race and religion.

According to Law No. 3304/2005 on equal treatment in employment and the Civil Code (Αστικός κώδικας), the employer has an obligation to treat all employees without discrimination, except when the nature of the job objectively justifies it. The principle of equal treatment applies to wages and working conditions (promotion systems, working hours and compensation due to retirement) and should also apply to employers’ voluntary benefits.

In terms of combating discrimination based on sex, the following legislation is in force: Law No. 3769/2009 on equal access to goods and services; Law No. 3896/2010 on implementing the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment between men and women in the workplace; and Law No. 4097/2012 on equal treatment between men and women in exercising self-employed activities.

SEPE’s annual reports for 2009–2013 and data for 2013–2014 show the evolution of complaints regarding equal treatment (including pay) and especially maternity rights. The table below shows that there has been an increase in the number of complaints and individual disputes concerning equal treatment, a trend that coincides with the economic crisis and the consequent violations of labour law.

Complaints about discrimination, 2009–2019

Source: SEPE, 2021

Furthermore, the Greek Ombudsman’s annual special report (2013) on gender and labour relations shows that the cases/complaints regarding equal treatment increased by 25% in 2013 compared to 2012. Although, in total, the number of complaints is limited (327 cases in 2013), the economic crisis and unemployment appears to have had a serious impact on equal treatment in employment, especially in the field of maternity and paternity rights.

Equal pay and gender pay gap

Law No. 3896/2010 on equal treatment also deals with equal payment.

SEPE is the main authority responsible for the supervision of labour relations, but the Greek Ombudsman plays a key role as an independent authority by investigating complaints, mediating and making recommendations to implement equal pay.

SEPE collaborates with the Ombudsman and also has the authority to impose administrative sanctions or take legal action against criminal infringements.

In collective agreements, there are no clauses for different wage treatments and the principle of equal pay is respected. Nevertheless, as the relevant Eurostat data for 2018 show, Greek female employees received wages that were 10.4% lower than the wages of male employees. While this represented a considerable decrease on the 2010 figure (when female employees received wages that were 15% lower than those of male employees), this number should be carefully assessed as Greece also has the lowest proportion of female labour force participation across the EU (Eliamep, 2022).

Quota regulations

There is no legal obligation for specific quotas for women or other categories of workers.

According to Law No. 2643/98, people with disabilities, families with many children and some other protected categories should account for up to 5% of recruitment by the civil service, public entities and local authorities. The beneficiaries must have a disability rate of 50% or more, be registered as disabled and unemployed with the OAED and not be in receipt of a state pension or any allowance cumulatively greater than the minimum old-age pension limit.

In 2016, Law No. 4440/2016 (covering staff mobility in the public sector) increased the coverage hiring rate to 10% in the public sector and local authorities for people with a disability rate of at least 50%. It also increased the coverage hiring rate to 5% for people who have a first-degree relationship with people with a disability rate of more than 67%.

In 2021, Law No. 4675/2021 increased the coverage hiring rate to 12% for people with a disability rate of at least 50%.

Employers

• Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV)
• Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ESEE)
• Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen and Merchants (GSEVEE)
• Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE)
• Federation of Industries of Greece (SBE)

Trade unions

• General Confederation of Greek Labour (GSEE)
• Confederation of Public Servants (ADEDY)
• Trade Unions’ Centre of Thessaloniki
• Trade Unions’ Centre of Athens
• Journalists’ Union of Athens Daily Newspapers (ESIEA)
• General Federation of Employees of the Public Power Corporation (GENOP)
• Greek Federation of Insurance Employee Unions (OASE)
• Federation of Private Employees (OIYE)
• Hellenic Federation of Bank Employee Unions (OTOE)
• Panhellenic Federation of Employees in Refineries and Chemical Industries (PFERCI)
• Panhellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO)
• Panhellenic Federation of Journalists’ Unions (POESY)
• Panhellenic Electronic Engineers Union of Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority

Government

• Ministry of Labour and Social Security
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs (contains some general government information)

Other links

• Research Centre for Gender Equality (KETHI)
• DYPA Public Employment Service
• Hellenic Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (Elinyae)
• Social Security Fund (IKA)
• Labour Institute of the General Confederation of Greek Labour (INE-GSEE) (EIRO national centre)
• Institute of Labour of the Hellenic Federation of Bank Employees Unions (INE-OTOE)
• Foundation for Economic and Social Research (IOBE)
• Organisation for Mediation and Arbitration (OMED)

Bank of Greece (2023), Έκθεση του Διοικητή για το έτος 2022, Athens.

EFKA (National Social Security Fund) (2021), 2019 Bulletin of Accidents at Work IKA-ETAM and Bulletin of Occupational Accidents of Employees, December tables.

EU-OSHA (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work) (2017), Worker participation in the management of occupational safety and health — qualitative evidence from ESENER-2, country report – GREECE, European Risk Observatory, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

Eliamep (Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy) (2022), In focus – Gender pay gap, web page, accessed 27 February 2024.

Elstat (Hellenic Statistical Authority) (2011), ‘Labour Force Survey: Second quarter 2011’, press release, 15 September.

Elstat (2012), ‘Labour Force Survey: Second quarter 2012’, press release, 13 September.

Elstat (2016a), ‘Labour Force Survey: First quarter 2016’, press release, 16 June.

Elstat (2016b), ‘Special research for the organisation of work and the regulation of working time – Ad hoc module 2015’, Piraeus, Greece.

Elstat (2022), ‘Labour Force Survey: Second quarter 2022’, press release, 15 September.

Elstat (2023), ‘Consumer Price Index: December 2022, annual inflation 7.2%’, press release, 12 January 2023.

EU-OSHA (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work) (2015), Safer and healthier work at any age – Country inventory: Greece, Bilbao.

Eurofound (2020a), Industrial relations: Developments 2015–2019, Challenges and prospects in the EU series, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

Eurofound (2020b), Minimum wages in 2020: Annual review, Minimum wages in the EU series, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

Eurofound (2020c), Collective agreements and bargaining coverage in the EU: A mapping of types, regulations and first findings from the European Company Survey 2019, Eurofound working paper, Dublin.

Eurofound (2020d), Employee representation at establishment or company level: A mapping report ahead of the 4th European Company Survey, Eurofound working paper, Dublin.

Eurofound (2021), Working conditions and sustainable work: An analysis using the job quality framework, Challenges and prospects in the EU series, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

Eurofound and Cedefop (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training) (2020), European Company Survey 2019: Workplace practices unlocking employee potential, European Company Survey 2019 series, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

Eurostat (2020), EU Labour Force Survey ad hoc module 2019 on work organisation and working time arrangements – Quality assessment report, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

Eurostat (2023), Unemployment statistics, web page, accessed 30 October 2015.

Greek Ombudsman (2011), Equal treatment of men and women in employment and labour relations, Athens.

Greek Ombudsman (2013) Gender and industrial relations, special report 2013, Athens.

INE-GSEE (Labour Institute of the General Confederation of Greek Labour) (2013), Organisational structure of the Greek trade union movement 2013, Athens (unpublished).

INE-GSEE (2014a), Annual report on industrial relations in Europe and Greece, Athens.

INE-GSEE (2014b, Developments in collective bargaining and pay in 2013, Athens. 

INE-GSEE (2015a), Annual report on the Greek economy and employment 2015, Athens.

INE GSEE (2015b), Developments in collective bargaining in 2014, Athens (unpublished)

INE-GSEE (2016), Annual report on the Greek economy and employment 2016, Athens.

INE-GSEE (2017), Annual report on the Greek economy and employment 2017, Athens.

INE GSEE (2022), Strike action in Greece during 2020–2021, October 2022, Athens.

INE GSEE (2023), Annual report on the Greek economy and employment 2023, Athens.

Lanaras, Κ. (2014), Legislation of work and insurance, Nakoula’s Editions, Athens.

Ministry of Labour (2014), Annual report 2013: SEPE report 2013 programming 2014, Athens, available at https://www.hli.gov.gr/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/%CE%A0%CE%95%CE%A0%CE%A1%CE%91%CE%93%CE%9C%CE%95%CE%9D%CE%91-%CE%A3%CE%95%CE%A0%CE%95-2013.pdf (PDF).

Ministry of Labour (2020), Reports of Ergani ARTEMIS (2013–2019), Athens, 

OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and AIAS (Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies) (2021), OECD/AIAS ICTWSS database, version 17, February 2021, Paris.

SEPE (Greek Labour Inspectorate) (2014), Annual report 2013, available at https://www.hli.gov.gr/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/%CE%A0%CE%95%CE%A0%CE%A1%CE%91%CE%93%CE%9C%CE%95%CE%9D%CE%91-%CE%A3%CE%95%CE%A0%CE%95-2013.pdf (PDF), Athens.

Vergou, S., Stamati, A. and Siriopoulos, P. (2013), Working time, (PDF), INE-GSEE, Athens.