Greece demonstrated its catalytic role in Europe through the National Social Pact, which strengthened social dialogue at the European level.
The catalytic role played by Greece, breathing new life into social dialogue at the European level, through the conclusion of the National Social Agreement, was highlighted by the Executive Vice President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Social Rights, Skills, Quality Jobs and Readiness, Roxana Minzatu, at the event held in Brussels on the topic “Greece’s National Social Agreement on Collective Bargaining Agreements: A European Model for Social Dialogue”.
Ms. Minzatos stated, among other things: “The signing of the tripartite National Social Agreement in Greece last November marks a moment of rebuilding trust, which was necessary, not only for Greece but also for all of Europe, which faces a significant number of challenges,” adding that social dialogue in Europe needs moments like this, “where we can draw inspiration and see what is possible when social dialogue works.”
The keynote speaker at the event was the prime minister,Kyriakos Mitsotakis, while the Minister of Labor and Social Security,Niki Kerameos, took part in a high-level discussion alongside Ms. Minzatu and the President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Séamus Boland.
In her remarks, Ms. Kerameos highlighted the significant progress made by the Greek labor market in recent years, noting that unemployment has fallen by 10 percentage points, employment and wages are on the rise, and more than 470,000 Greeks who had emigrated during the economic crisis have returned to the country.
Despite the overall positive picture of the labor market, as the minister emphasized, the coverage of workers under collective bargaining agreements remained an area with significant room for improvement. As she noted, the government had the option to choose unilateral legislative intervention or to follow the more difficult path of consultationand reaching an agreement with all national social partners on a new framework for Collective Bargaining Agreements. “I vividly remember a discussion with the prime minister and his question about the chances of success for the second, more difficult path. Logically speaking, the chances were almost zero, but I had a gut feeling, since conditions were very good, the labor market was improving steadily, and a unique level of trust had begun to build between the national social partners and us at the ministry,” commented Ms. Kerameos.
Three factorsplayed a decisive rolein achieving this historic Agreement,the minister noted: “First, the trust that had developed between us at the ministry and the national social partners; second, the shared determination of all sides to truly reach an agreement, even if that meant making mutual concessions; third, the decision not to enter the discussion with a draft text, but to paint the canvas together from scratch.”
As Ms. Kerameos emphasized, “the Agreementachieved three things: it facilitated the conclusion and extension of Collective Bargaining Agreements and extended worker protection even after their expiration”.
The minister emphasized that the Agreement was enacted into law, following extensive collaboration with the social partners and is already yielding tangible results, as Collective Bargaining Agreements have been concluded in tourism and hospitality, confectionery and bakery sectors, as well as for food technologists, offering better pay and improved working conditions to more than 500,000 workers.
In addition, Ms. Kerameos emphasized that the National Social Agreement was not only a significant reform for the labor market, workers, and businesses, but also helped shape a new culture of social dialogue in the country. As she noted, dialogue with the social partners now precedes every major legislative initiative by the ministry, contributing substantially to the improvement of the proposed regulations and their subsequent more effective implementation.
For his part, the president of the European Economic and Social Committee, Séamus Boland, congratulated Greece on the National Social Agreement.
“At the European Economic and Social Committee , we work very hard to ensure that social dialogue plays a central role. When it does, every country follows suit. That is exactly what you are doing in Greece, and you deserve congratulations for it.”
