Government launches process of raising minimum wage

Parliament today passed legislation regarding the procedure for determining a hike in the minimum wage, entitled “Redetermination of deadlines for starting the procedure for setting salaries and daily wages for 2018”.

The legislation was passed as an attachment to a bill regarding a Stavros Niarchos Foundation grant to bolster and upgrade healthcare infrastructure, which was passed by all parties except the KKE Greek Communist Party and the extreme right Golden Dawn.

The minimum wage provision was passed by SYRIZA, the Independent Greeks, main opposition New Democracy, and the Centrists’ Union. The KKE voted down the provision, while To Potami and Golden Dawn MPs essentially abstained, declaring “present”.

The minimum wage provision was tabled by the labour ministry. It provides that related procedures will begin by 30 September and will conclude in the second half of January, 2019.

The procedure provides for consultations between the social partners and the government, with the participation of expert academics, research institutes and experts on labour economics, social policy, and labour relations.

The process will be overseen by a Coordination Committee, headed by the president of the Organisation of Mediation and Arbitration (OMED), a representative of the labour ministry, and a representative of the finance ministry.