BSE continues information visits in the region with the aim of informing its member companies in cooperation with its regional member associations on critical regulatory issues.

In this context, it co-organized an event with the Association of Industries of Sterea Hellas (SVSE), under the auspices of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, yesterday (Thursday, May 30, 2024) in Thebes, regarding the practical application of the digital card in industry, from July 1, 2024, but also the provision of clarifications on questions of industrial-manufacturing companies, on behalf of the leadership and executives of the Ministry of Labour.

The event was the 5th consecutive initiative of the BSE regarding this institutional initiative, in which our members have the opportunity to effectively interact with the Ministry on the issues of their daily operational operations.

The event was attended by the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Ms. Domna-Maria Michailidou, the General Secretary of Labor Relations, Ms. Anna Stratinaki and the General Director of Labor Relations of the Ministry of Labor, Mr. Konstantinos Agrapidas, while the event was coordinated by the General Director of BSE, Dr. George Xirogiannis.

The Minister of Labor and Social Security, Mrs. Domna – Maria Michailidou, stated that: “The implementation of the Digital Labor Card, which will be fully implemented from July 1st in industry and retail, is an important reform, which aims to combat undeclared and implied work, promoting healthy competition. A tool that enhances the effectiveness of the Labor Inspectorate’s controls, ensuring that workers are paid according to their actual working time. A tool that promotes transparency in state, employer and employee relations and strengthens the sustainability of our insurance system. We are in every part of Greece to inform, provide solutions and facilitate the application of the Digital Work Card. And not only. Our pursuit, increasing productivity and creating well-paid jobs. We are a Government that listens, changes and facilitates whoever, wherever and whenever needed”.

The Vice-President of SEV and President of the Labor Affairs and Human Resources Committee of the Association, Mr. Spyros Theodoropoulos, emphasized: “Given that we remain the first and only European country to record working time at a central level, with all the paperwork , the ambiguities and difficulties this entails for businesses, the digital job card can and must be adapted to the needs and specificities of industry/manufacturing, in order to make it functional and effective supporting healthy entrepreneurship. SEV continues its continuous effort to create a competitive labor market that will bring our country and society into the new digital era, with the necessary flexibility in the organization of work for businesses, better and more jobs and more competitive wages for employees . In this context, he will respond to the invitation of the Minister of Labor and, on the occasion of Greece’s accession to the Global Coalition for Social Justice of the ILO, he will submit, after consultation with its members, his proposals on dealing with the contemporary challenges they face businesses but also their employees”.

The President of the Association of Industries of Mainland Greece, Mr. Panos Lolos stated that: “The Greek industry practically supports every effort to deal with undeclared work. However, it faces staffing problems of a quantitative and qualitative nature and it would therefore be useless to add to them increased regulatory requirements, at a time when industry is asking for flexibility in labor relations, for the mutual benefit of companies and employees, but, above all, the stimulation of its competitiveness. The event provided the opportunity for the members of the SSE to raise directly their concerns, regarding specific issues arising from the implementation of the digital card, to the leadership of the Ministry of Labour, supporting the SSE’s effort to make entrepreneurship in Greece seamless and beneficial for everyone”.

A substantial discussion followed between the representatives of the businesses with the leadership and the representatives of the Ministry and it was agreed that the dialogue will continue in view of the presentation of the new INSTRUMENT II.