One of the controversial creditor-mandated changes that the coalition government is finding difficult to implement is the legislation regarding unions, which has been in place for over thirty years.

The four major changes that the government wants to introduce by the end of the year are:

  • Change the law so that a strike may only be called when 50% +1 union member approve the strike
  • Allow employers to call lock outs; this will allow employers to shut down their businesses when employees go on strike
  • Reexamine the procedures and sources of union funding
  • Change union licensing

While these critical changes have been supported by Greece’s creditors, PASOK’s Communications Officer Dimitris Karydis appeared on Mega Channel and stated that his party has rejected these changes in the past and intends to reject them again.