A new labor bill was announced by the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Niki Kerameos, in a discussion with SKAI journalist Christina Vidou as part of the 10th Delphi Economic Forum.

As he characteristically stated: “The ministry is working on a new labor bill to simplify many procedures related to labor market operation, such as how you do an intake. What we want in the ministry is to give the greatest possible flexibility to the procedural, to reduce bureaucracy and to argue obstacles to the proper functioning of the labor market. “

For the minimum wage

Regarding the minimum wage, Ms Kerameos said that the debt of the Ministry of Labor and the Government is to increase workers’ earnings and reduce weights. As he said, “a systematic effort has been made over the past 5.5 years, with the result that the minimum wage has increased by 35% in 2019. Steady steps are being made in the direction the government has set for minimum wage At 950 euros in 2027“

“This is one aspect, the other parallel is how it affects this and the increase in the average salary, because the minimum wage is determined by the government, but the average salary is determined by the market itself, arising through supply and demand.

There is also a parallel increase in the average salary and, at the same time, efforts to reduce weights. This government has abolished or reduced more than 72 taxes, insurance contributions have been reduced by 5.5 percentage points and a new reduction in 2027 is coming, “the Labor Minister said.

He pointed out that the increase of the minimum wage by 50 euros, which is valid from April 1, 2025, was not the proposal of the social partners, who favored a growth of 3%to 5%, but of the government, which decided 6%, “with complete empathy with the difficulties”.

According to the Minister, The aim is to constantly boost citizens’ disposable incometaking into account the strengths of businesses and the state’s budgetary capabilities.

In fact, he stressed that, for the first time this year, the minimum wage protects the public sector.

“We want a legislated minimum wage as a protection shield and a ‘threshold’ so that no one in the country is paid below this amount, but from there, but the social partners and employees and employers representatives are free to agree on better gain.” predicting a minimum wage higher than the legislated minimum wage.

“This scheme works and we will do everything in our power to further enhance the institutional framework of collective agreements. We seek greater coverage of our country’s human resources by collective agreements and we want to enhance their conclusion.

However, representatives of workers and employers must also sit at the same table and come to an agreement, ”the minister added.

For unemployment

Asked about unemployment, Mrs Kerameos replied that when the government took over the country, unemployment was almost 18%, and today rose to 8.6%, the lowest 17 -year unemployment rate.

As he noted, “Right now Greece has a lower unemployment rate than Sweden, Finland and Spain” “Now, we are approaching the hard core of unemployment and need to help businesses find the staff they are looking for. The big challenge today in the labor market is not unemployment, but to find human resources from businesses themselves, especially in sectors such as tourism and focus, ”he added.

“Unemployment in our country has fallen a lot. This does not mean that we are complacent. The opposite. We are now focusing with even more targeted policies on specific population groups, which have significant room for improvement, such as women, young people, older people and people with disabilities, “the Labor Minister underlined and referred to the unemployed, aged 55 and older.

“It is a fact that, if you lose your job at this age, it is harder to find a job than if you are younger,” Mrs Kerameos said, stressing that a public service program is aimed at the unemployed 55 years and over, who often lack a few stamps.

“They are people who can offer their valuable work experience in municipalities, regions and public law entities. To date, more than 33,000 of our fellow citizens, aged 55 and over, have benefited, ”the minister said.

For the digital work card

At the same time, he also referred to the digital work card, “which is a tool, which records real working time, to ensure that employees will be paid for real working time, with the aim of protecting workers and healthy competition” and said: “In the sectors that have already been applied, 815,000 have been applied.”

“However, the digital work card alone is not enough, but is combined with intensive controls, which have been tightened and enhanced by the Independent Labor Inspection Authority. We have an increase in controls, which reaches 8%. In this way, we emphasize the faithful implementation of labor law, with the aim of protecting workers and healthy competition, “said Kerameos.

New Overtime setting

In addition, the Minister of Labor analyzed yet another initiative of the Ministry of Labor, in which the calculation of the overtime, overtime, night employment and employment insurance contributions on holiday or Sunday employees is done on the hourly employees, which corresponds to the hourly employment.

The arrangement does not affect the increase in employees’ remuneration for overtime, overtime, night employment and employment on holidays and Sundays, which continues to pay, as it is, only affects the calculation of insurance contributions.

Business Construction Programs

Ms. Kerameos also emphasized the rehearsal and upgrading programs, especially digital and green skills, while underlining the great effort, which is being done with the action “Rebrain Greece”, to bring back the brilliant minds, which left the difficult years of financial crisis for other European countries.

As he explained, the Ministry of Labor is the “bridge” among our fellow citizens, looking for work in Greece and businesses, who are looking for staff. To date, events of the “Rebrain Greece” have held events in the Netherlands, Germany and England, and the next event is scheduled to take place in America, with the participation of leading businesses.

“It is our debt to highlight brilliant professional opportunities in Greece and to create more incentives to attract Greeks abroad and return,” the Labor Minister commented, saying that the cost of living in Greece is lower than other countries and have been established in Greece.

As he said, “at the moment, England has a growth rate of 0.8%, while Greece has 2.3%. In a significant country, professional opportunities can be greater. “

In fact, he added that this effort is being made within our country by organizing the “career days”. Over 42 “career days” have already taken place in 17 cities in Greece and over 9,000 citizens have found a job through the “career days”.

In closing her position, Ms Kerameos noted that the ministry’s policy is summed up in the phrase “enhancing employment and reduction of inequalities”, citing as a typical example that citizens with disabilities can now receive disability and work if they wish.

The minister also stressed that they are supported by employment as they “run” an employment program of 1,000 people with disabilities in municipalities, regions and legal entities public law “, and also emphasized the issue of service.

As he noted, in recent months, doctors have more than doubled at the disability certification centers, from about 520 doctors, today, we have over 1,200 and open new structures fully accessible.