New labor law: what trade unions are striking against

Photo by Vasilis Rebapis Eurokinisi

On September 21, Greek trade unions stage a 24-hour general strike against the labor bill currently being debated in parliament.

Strike Supported by major unions, including PAME, the Confederation of Civil Servants (ADEDY), the Federation of Secondary Public School Teachers (OLME), the Maritime Workers Union (PENEN), the Federation of Public Hospital Employees, who argue that the new legislation will undermine the rights and working conditions of workers.

Σε εξέλιξη η συγκέντρωση της #ΑΔΕΔΥ #Απεργια_21_Σεπτεμβρη pic.twitter.com/olsHXVLHKt

— EFSYN (@EFSYNTAKTON) September 21, 2023

The conservative government of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis plans to relax labor laws, including making working hours more flexible, authorities said in statements. Within the framework of the new law it is planned oblige people to work on Saturday or Sunday and receive an additional 40% of their daily salary for the sixth working day.

It is also planned to introduce on-demand employment, when the employer can call an employee 24 hours before the start of the working day and force him to work. The law allows employees to work part-time for another employer for no more than five hours per day in addition to their eight regular working hours.

The bill, which will be voted on on September 22, has been subject to severe criticism from the entire oppositionwhich refuted government claims about its benefits.

Οι εποχικοί πυροσβέστες παρέδωσαν ψήφισμα με τα αιτήματά τους στο Υπουεγείο Οικονομικών #Απεργια_21_Σεπτεμβρη #εποχικοι #πυροσβέστες pic.twitter.com/VHhKEsuR4E

— EFSYN (@EFSYNTAKTON) September 21, 2023

Public sector union umbrella organization ADEDY also fears the criminalization of union activity as the new law calls for fines of up to €5,000, recognizing that strikers could prevent other workers from going to work.

Speaking on behalf of ADEDY, D. Bratis emphasized that Georgiadis’ bill “onends the 8-hour workweek, eliminates employee hours, repeals collective bargaining agreements, abolishes the five-day workweek, and at the same time further criminalizes our right to strike. This is an anti-worker bill that is a continuation of the Hatzidakis Act, a law that the trade union movement is calling for to be repealed… Today the government is essentially legislating even more punitive provisions for the right to strike, guaranteed by Article 23 of the constitution.”

Photo by Vasilis Rebapis Eurokinisi

The Athens Labor Center also demands the bill’s withdrawal. PAME in its statement welcomes “thousands of workers who took part en masse in strikes and rallies in many cities across the country,” noting that “today’s strike is the starting point for new militant mobilizations to practically reverse the plan of the government and business groups that want to turn us into modern slaves, forget about an 8-hour workday and living hostage to a flexible work schedule”.

Participants in the rallies raised various slogans. Typically, demonstrators chanted:

• “It’s either their profit or our lives.”
• “Against the abortion bill and criminal policies.”
• “We will not become modern slaves.”
• “We want our stolen time back.”
• “The 8-hour day has been and will be a victory for the working people.”
• “The bosses are drowning in profits, and the people are drowning in dirt.”
• “There is no tolerance for their growth.”

Rallies and processions took place in other cities: Thessaloniki, Patras, Preveza, Heraklion.

Εικόνες από τις απεργιακές συγκεντρώσεις στην #Πάτρα.

Σήμερα #Απεργία γιατί δεν θα δουλεύουμε μέχρι να πέσουμε κάτω. #Απεργια_21_Σεπτεμβρη γιατί η απεργία δεν μας δόθηκε από τον καπιταλισμό όπως λέει ο #Αδωνις. Κατακτήθηκε με αίμα και αγώνες, όπως και κάθε δικαίωμα. #antireport pic.twitter.com/fG46xH84On

— Μένουμε Ενεργοί – Υγεία, Συλλογικότητα, Αλληλεγγύη (@menoume_energoi) September 21, 2023

Φωτογραφίες από τις μαζικές απεργιακές κινητοποιήσεις σε Χανιά, Ρέθυμνο και Ηράκλειο!

Όχι στον εργασιακό μεσαίωνα!
Απεργία και αγώνας για να ζήσουμε αλλιώς! pic.twitter.com/O0c1zxlVzN

— Ανυπόταχτη Κρήτη (@anypotaxtikriti) September 21, 2023

The workers’ slogans and concerns are general because they are unconvinced by the Labor Minister’s assurances in Parliament that this is a liberal bill, contradicting his claims that the government is on the workers’ side.

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