Niki Kerameos is taking forward the social dialogue on the new Bill that aims to eliminate pay discrimination and increase transparency in workplace.

A new phase of consultations on the reform of the labour framework was launched by the minister of Labour and Social Security, Niki Kerameos, convening a meeting with the heads of the National Social Partners.

The meeting was held in the context of the ongoing social dialogue on the ministry’s upcoming bill, which focuses on ensuring equal pay between men and women for similar work or work of equal value.

This legislative initiative aims to fully harmonise Greek legislation with European Directive 2023/970, which introduces strict rules on wage transparency and access to justice for victims of discrimination.

During the meeting, Mrs Kerameos stressed the importance of cooperation with representatives of employers and employees in order to formulate a fair and functional framework that will strengthen social cohesion and eliminate gender inequalities in the labour market.

Suggestions for improvement from the representatives of the National Social Partners were put on the table at the meeting and are being considered for incorporation into the final draft of the bill. Notably, to date more than 50 proposals, submitted by employees and employers, have already been incorporated into the draft law being prepared by Ms Kerameos.

Recall that in order to achieve the objective set by the European Directive 2023/970, specific transparency rules are introduced at three levels:

  1. During the interview and the recruitment process
  2. During the employment relationship, in particular as regards the employee’s right of access to salary data and
  3. As regards the obligation of companies to publish data on remuneration.

According to the European Directive, companies have an obligation to publish data on:

    • the gender pay gap
    • the gender pay gap
    • the bonus pay gap
    • the average pay gap
    • the pay gap by category of employees.

    If the data show that there is a pay gap equal to or greater than 5% and there is no objective explanation, the employer is required to correct the gap by reforming the pay structure of the company.

    Before hiring:

      • Businesses are required to inform the candidate of the salary range by any appropriate means before the interview.
      • In addition, they are prohibited from asking for information about the candidate’s previous salary.

      During employment, employees acquire the following basic rights:

      • to know the criteria on the basis of which their salary and salary progression are determined,
      • to disclose their salary for purposes related to the preservation of equal pay as the Directive explicitly prohibits contractual terms that impose salary secrecy.

      This was preceded on 24 March by the Chair of the Commission, Professor Patrina Paparrigopoulou, who presented the report of the Labour Drafting Committee on the bill in question. Subsequently, the Minister, in accordance with her usual practice, sent the conclusion to the National Social Partners, inviting them for consultation in order to submit their own proposals. Ms Kerameos will invite the opposition parties to a dialogue on the bill. The meeting was attended by GSEE President Giannis Panagopoulos, SEV President Spyros Theodoropoulos, GSEBEE First Vice President Dimitris Vargiamis, ESEE President Stavros Kafounis, SETE President Giannis Paraschis and SSE Director General Vicky Loizou.