“SYRIZA-PS will exercise a well-documented and dynamic opposition and will contribute, so that there is an alternative programmatic progressive proposal to change the current government”, stated the president of the party, Sokratis Famellos, starting his speech in the Parliament.

He criticized the consensual climate that prevailed at yesterday’s Mitsotakis-Androulakis meeting and appealed to PASOK for cooperation in order to overthrow the Mitsotakis government.

He noted that his first position in the Parliament as president of SYRIZA, “indicates first and foremost the identification relationship that our party has with the needs and interests of the world of work. And as SYRIZA-PS we must highlight the values ​​of our identity, which have been overshadowed in the last period”.

He then attacked the prime minister, saying: “For 5 years now, he has been working as a paver at the expense of workers’ rights. It systematically promotes a model of cheap and flexible labor without rights. The worker ends up alone and without any support in the dystopia that Mr. Mitsotakis has in store for him.”

He argued that this model is counterproductive, as “quality and competitive products do not come from cheap but from good workers and researchers. And you drive them abroad. But also why poverty wages and job insecurity fuel both immigration and the country’s demographic problem and are a minefield for the future of Greece’s children.”

He reiterated that “Greece is in the last places in terms of wages. In the latter, regarding the purchasing power of the hourly wage. In the last two, the purchasing power of the citizens. Your policy leads precisely to the multiplication of the working poor. You are the government of the poor workers and the rich cartels!”

He accused the government that “Even the European directive we are discussing is being counterfeited. Because the Directive aims for 80% of employees to have collective agreements. And you with this legislation postpone this plan and prevent negotiations and collective agreements. This is what you are legislating today. Why is it a conscious choice for you to have both vulnerable and underpaid workers. You are implementing a memorandum, while the country has been outside of memorandum supervision since 2018.”

Condensing he argued:

  1. The obligation of the directive for an employee coverage rate of 80% is referred to the calendars. The country in terms of Collective Agreements will continue to be a European exception.
  2. With an algorithm of your own inspiration, a minimum wage is calculated at the poverty line and even AFTER the period of your government! And until then, the social partners are excluded from determining the minimum wage.
  3. Businesses will systematically violate the provisions because there is no strong control mechanism.
  4. Flexible forms of work will effectively nullify the minimum wage, since they provide for much lower wages.”
  5. Continuing, he mentioned the proposals of SYRIZA: “Our proposal is that work is a productive force. And required:
  • Immediate increase in wages by promotion of Collective Bargaining Agreements and a bold increase in the minimum wage
  • Securing labor and trade union rights
  • Ensuring decent living wages
  • Re-establishment of SEPE
  • Gradual implementation of the 35 hours, without a reduction in wages
  • Combating flexible labor relations and unemployment”

But he also mentioned the areas of differentiation from PASOK:

1. Your belated proposal for the banks is a caress to the super profits, they will not sweat their ear… Ours which can result in 10 times revenue, also works as a deterrent for the future. With the level of taxation you propose they will continue to profit.

2. But at the same time we have also proposed a guarantee fund, which, under the umbrella of the development bank, will finance new innovative entrepreneurship or cheap housing”.

In closing, he commented on the Mitsotakis – Androulakis meeting: “I can’t help commenting that I was alienated by the atmosphere at the meeting between Mr. Mitsotakis Androulakis. It’s as if the wiretapping never happened… Did you really forget the biggest scandal of the Post-Revolution so quickly? A consensus is being prepared. We say yes to progressive collaborations to overthrow the government.

The country and society do not need a consensus and convenient opposition to this ND government, not an opposition that will tango with the government, but a strong opposition. Like SYRIZA-PS which will defend society against the government. A strong SYRIZA-PS will never be a convenient opposition to a right-wing anti-people government, which irreparably harms society and governs with bribery, imposters, propaganda and authoritarianism, crumpling the Constitution whenever it doesn’t suit it.