"The increase-parody of the minimum wage is a 'freeze' - for another year - at the miserable levels, which were lowered by a government decision a decade ago, abolishing the national collective labour agreement. The government's announcement is a challenge to the workers," the Communist Party (KKE) underlined in a statement on Monday.
"Under the responsibility of the governments of New Democracy (ND), PASOK and SYRIZA, the minimum wage is not determined by the collective labour negotiations of the workers, but by the Labour Minister, based on the so-called resilience of the economy, ie competitiveness and profitability of capital and with fixed "social dialogues," it added.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Monday during a cabinet meeting that the minimum wage in Greece will increase by 2 percent.
“Despite the contrary suggestion of the representatives of the companies, the government decided for this year to increase the minimum wage by 2 percent," he said.
“As you know in the relevant dialogue that preceded, the confederations of professionals, craftsmen, large companies, traders, had called for the freezing of the minimum wage due to the special circumstances caused by the pandemic," Mitsotakis continued.
“And indeed – as we all know – the GDP last year fell by about 8 percent. But what is also valid is the dynamism of the Greek economy, its prospects, which I personally trust," he concluded.
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