Speech by the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs at the annual conference of the European Labor Law Agency
The need to embrace modern developments in the labor market because they bring significant benefits to our economies, but at the same time to address the challenges that arise and to define the scope of protection of modern labor law in a way that does not hinder or deprive economic growth new employment opportunities, pointed out the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Kostis Hatzidakis speaking today at the annual conference of the Organization of European Labor Law held in Athens.
The digital transformation of work, new forms of employment, work through digital platforms, the need to create a secure, and inclusive work environment are, as the Minister said, some of these challenges. “The digital revolution is changing not only the way we live but also the way we work. Some professions are transformed or cease to exist and new ones are created. At the same time, teleworking and digital platforms are opening up new possibilities. Younger employees also demand a better work-life balance. “he stressed.
Mr. Hatzidakis stressed that a key priority for the government is not only to follow international and European best practices, but also, where possible, to be at the forefront of their implementation. “Especially after a ten-year economic crisis, our country must not only converge to the European average but also make a positive surprise,” he said.
In this context he described legislative initiatives undertaken by the government in this direction, which include the provisions of law 4808/2021 “On Labor Protection” which:
• the cases of invalid dismissal have increased,
• the arrangement of working time was allowed at the request of the employee (which was already provided by a collective agreement),
• Directive 2019/2258 on the “balance of professional and family life for parents and carers” has been incorporated,
• a 14-day paternity leave was introduced,
• The Digital Work Card was introduced (Greece is the first EU member state to adopt the Digital Card for all employees, the Minister stressed),
• a new framework for teleworking has been adopted, including the right to disconnect, something few European countries have done so far,
• clear and transparent rules have been laid down for the protection of the self-employed on digital platforms,
• Convention 190 of the International Labor Organization on tackling violence and harassment at work was ratified.
“Based on European legislation and best European practices, we face the current challenges while protecting the European Social Model”concluded Mr. Hatzidakis.
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