The Minister of Labor analyzed the government’s actions during 2022
He presented the ten initiatives he is committed to implementing within 2023 the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Kostis Hatzidakis intervening in the debate on sanctioning next year’s budget.
The new initiatives are as follows:
1. Implementation of the new programs of DYPA through which new employment opportunities are offered to 68,000 of our unemployed fellow citizens, young women, disabled, long-term unemployed.
2. Gradual expansion of the Digital Labor Card to other sectors of the economy: After its introduction to banks and supermarkets this year, the security and insurance sectors will take their turn, followed by DEKO and industries and then the catering and tourism sectors.
3. Activation of new training programs for employees and the unemployed in digital and green skills, with resources from the Recovery Fund and the new NSRF
4.Horizontal increases of 7.5% in pensions, for the first time after 12 years
5. Liquidation of the outstanding auxiliary pensions and lump sums, following the liquidation of the outstanding main pensions this year. “We said it, we did it”, characteristically said Mr. Hatzidakis.
6. Implementation of the Disability Benefits Register and the Personal Assistant program, two important measures to improve the quality of life of the disabled
7. Implementation of the “Neighborhood Babysitters” programs and creation of childcare units in 120 large businesses!
8. Extension of individual piggy banks to supplementary pensions and to those young people up to the age of 35 who wish to join the new system voluntarily
9. Implementation of the “My Home” program to provide affordable and quality housing to 137,000 young people, young couples and the vulnerable
10.A new increase in the minimum wage by 2023, which – especially in the current climate – will be a significant additional growth dividend for low-wage earners, with the process starting in early January.
The deeds of 2022
Mr. Hatzidakis spoke of yet another “set of social policy measures that combine sensitivity and efficiency” that follow the commitments for 2022, which were put into practice. As Mr. Hatzidakis pointed out, a year ago (December 15, 2021) he had committed himself to the same step: :
– For the implementation of the Digital Labor Card – permanent request of the GSEE – and the Establishment of the new Independent Labor Inspection Authority
-For a new bill to modernize the DYPA and the vocational training system
-For the introduction of individual piggy banks in the supplementary pensions of young people with the new Subsidiary Capitalization Insurance Fund. As Mr. Hatzidakis said, the registration of new workers has exceeded all expectations, as it is estimated that by the end of the year 142,000 new workers will have been registered – against estimates for 60,000, which reflects the dynamics of the economy.
– For the establishment of the Disability Card which was a constant request of the disabled movement
-For better utilization of the resources of the Recovery Fund and the new NSRF, totaling 5 billion. euro.
-To improve the service of citizens with the single number 1555
-For a bill to modernize the EFKA
-For a new increase in the minimum wage
-And for the definitive resolution of the issue of pending main pensions
Taking a broader account of the pillar of social policy over the last 3.5 years, Mr. Hatzidakis emphasized – among other things – that “We took unemployment to 17.5% in the summer of 2019 and reduced it to 11.6% last October . We protected workers with the new parental leaves. The right to disconnect in telecommuting. The new rights for delivery workers. We reduced the insurance contributions. Supporting both the competitiveness of businesses and the income of employees. We supported pensioners’ income: While under SYRIZA pensioners saw only reductions in their income, under New Democracy they have only seen increases. We created the “Digital KEPAs” to reduce the daily suffering of our disabled fellow citizens and abolished the mandatory review for irreversible diseases.
The Minister of Labor and Social Affairs also recalled that: “We extended the maternity leave and allowance in the private sector from 6 to 9 months. We have created specially adapted DYPA employment programs. Thanks to our actions, Greece is included by the World Bank among the 12 countries worldwide with full legal equality between men and women. We instituted 2,000 euros for each child born, we gave 30,000 more vouchers for places in kindergartens, we financed 50% of the extension of kindergarten and elementary school hours. We responded to the demand for a modern labor market, with innovative arrangements, such as those for balancing personal-family life!”
In conclusion, Mr. Hatzidakis underlined that “We did a lot and went beyond our pre-election promises. The reduction in unemployment, the increase in the minimum wage, the big intervention in EFKA to deal with the shame of pending pensions cannot be disputed. We don’t claim the monopoly of the heart, but we don’t give it to anyone either. There is clear progress because our government has not tried to reinvent the wheel, nor has it engaged in theoretical pursuits. We want to be practical, specific and useful and we achieved that. We will continue in the same direction, investing in a social policy with results in 2023 and after the next elections.”
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