“We are accelerating the determination of the minimum wage this year, as the government intends at the end of April to have a significant increase in the minimum wage. “Employees will see a social growth dividend, they will see significant increases in their pockets in a few months”, said the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Kostis Hatzidakis.
The Minister spoke during the debate on the bill of the Ministry of Development in the Plenary Session of the Parliament, analyzing the amendment of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs on the minimum wage and new licenses for private sector workers when they or their children become ill with coronavirus.
He noted that with the previous, small, increase in the minimum wage but also thanks to the broader economic policy of the government (reduction of insurance contributions, tax measures, etc.), employees who are paid the minimum wage will have a total annual increase of their income from 305 up to 533 euros.
“Now that the economy has entered positive territory, it is obvious that we can move in a different way towards workers and give greater growth. “The data speak for the policies that were implemented during SYRIZA and those that we implement”, he underlined.
In this context, the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs referred to the data of ELSTAT which showed that unemployment fell to 13.3% last November, from 17.2% in the summer of 2019 and 16.1% in November 2020.
“We are talking about reducing unemployment by 4 percentage points in total and 3 in the last year. “All this did not happen by chance, it happened due to the fiscal, fiscal, licensing, labor and insurance policies of the government”, said Mr. Hatzidakis, adding that unemployment in Greece will de-escalate further with the current economic policy. He reminded in this context that through OAED programs 50,000 new jobs were created within 1.5 years (while 40,000 had been created during the entire four years of SYRIZA government) and it is planned to create another 86,000 jobs for this year, not counting the special program for young people “First Seal” of the Ministry of Labor and the program to cover insurance contributions that will create another 85,000 jobs.
He underlined the 9 billion. euros provided by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs to support workers and the unemployed in the midst of a pandemic and announced that the most massive training program would be launched very soon. “We give you political theatrical performances and we keep the responsibility and the politics with result”, he concluded.
Opposition hypocrisy and pseudology for coronavirus disease licenses
Turning to the other provisions of the amendment concerning the permits that private sector employees receive when they or their children become infected with coronavirus, the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs stressed that two new permits are being introduced, in addition to those already in force, with fast procedures given that no medical opinion is required and the involvement of EFKA, but only the demonstration of a positive test. As for the compensation of these licenses, it reflects the established legislation that has been applied for decades.
He stressed that “We are now introducing this quick extra leave due to coronavirus for the employees themselves, according to the health protocols that now speak for five days, with the possibility of extension according to the general provisions. For the five days we provide compensation of the employee according to the general provisions. That is, as has been the case for decades, this provision has been implemented by all post-colonial governments. The first 3 days are paid by the employer by 50% and the other 2 days we have full coverage with the participation of the employer on the one hand and the State through EFKA on the other “.
“If you disagree, why did both SYRIZA and PASOK apply the exact same regulation regarding the compensation of employees while you were in power?” asked Mr. Hatzidakis. And he continued:
“We are introducing a new, additional leave for working parents that will be valid for five days and which can also be extended based on the general provisions. And we provide here, by analogy, the application of the provisions that applied to the previous provision. That the employer will pay for 3 days, as is the case in the previous, fixed and implemented by all parties that ruled. On the fourth day it will be covered by the State and on Thursday it will be offset with the normal leave of the employee.
You disagree with the last regulation, for the parents and you bring an amendment for the parents, whose children are sick. Since you are so sensitive, why bring an amendment for extra compensation to parents when their children are sick, and do not bring a corresponding amendment for employees when they themselves are sick? Do you have case sensitivity? If this is not hypocrisy, what is?
Why are you blaming us, because we apply proportionally to the parents whose children are sick a regulation similar to the one you applied? When you apply a setting, it’s good. But, when we bring the same or even a similarly valid regulation, then we are neoliberal and painless. “Here, if you have not made a mistake, for which you have to apologize, you are exposed anyway, because your policy is a classic example of demagogy and hypocrisy”, concluded Mr. Hatzidakis.
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