ESA demands higher wages, measures to combat high costs and collective bargaining agreements

At the center of the event organized Athens Labor and Social Security Center (EKA)at which representatives of institutions and political parties spoke, there was a question about the high cost of living that has “overwhelmed” the country, as well as the need to increase wages.

As stated by EKA President Costas Koulouris, the event was caused by the need of society, workers and consumers to be informed reliably, scientifically, without exaggeration or embellishment, about high costs and speculation, “which reset the family income of the average Greek.”

In this context, Mr. Coulouris stressed that the trade unions are fighting with all the means at their disposal, without self-interest or interest, in order to mitigate the consequences of this grim situation.

According to Mr Koulouris, Athens Labor Center put at the forefront of his actions and demands for the next period the increase in wages, the adoption of effective measures to solve the problem of poverty, the fight against obscenity and the restoration of collective labor agreements.

“For this reason, we have declared a 24-hour panhellenic strike on Wednesday, February 28, 2024.”noted Mr. Koulouris, noting that the actions of the Athens Center for Labor and Social Protection are part of the broader demands of the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), which declared a general strike for April 17, 2024.

“Trade unions condemn the current situation under the main slogan: ‘prices are sky high – wages to hell – we want real increases – we are returning our collective agreements and we want them now'”– said Mr. Coulouris. At the same time, he emphasized that the situation with high prices is out of control, it is destroying the incomes of workers and leading to extreme poverty for low-paid employees, the unemployed, pensioners, single-parent families and, in general, the most vulnerable segments of the population . In conclusion, Mr. Coulouris listed the main requirements:

• “A ban on speculation in all enterprises in the main sectors of production and trade in basic food products, and an emergency tax on the profits of supermarket chains, energy, transport and banking companies.
• Effectively strengthening the Competition Commission and the control mechanisms of the Ministry of Development and the Regions for immediate and effective control of speculators.
• Reduced VAT for one year on basic food products and essential goods such as baby milk, pasteurized milk, cereals, cheese, sausages, chicken, pork, pasta, legumes, vegetables, baby diapers, personal care products and cleaning products.
• Raising wages above the minimum wage to protect the purchasing power of low- and middle-income families.
• Restoring holiday bonuses and holiday pay to pre-memorandum levels for the government and wider public sector.
• Calculation of the time frame 2012-2023. to increase wages for private sector workers with three years of increases.
• Immediately reinstate the determination of the minimum wage by workers and employers and restore all collective labor law priorities.
• Strengthened controls to protect workers from workplace accidents.”

Source link