The Minister of Labor Giorgos Katrougalos has rejected media reports that Greece’s international creditors have demanded the abolition of the Christmas, Easter and summer holiday bonuses (often referred to as “the 13th and 14th salary”), stressing that there are no such bailout provisions.
In an interview on ERT, Mr. Katrougalos explained that collective dismissals are the main “battleground” at the moment and argued that “we do not want to maintain the situation, as it is today, because it is unacceptable, [the labor market] is a jungle”.
Regarding a recent ECJ proposal on collective dismissals, the Labor Minister noted that it primarily relates to “procedural issues” and who will be tasked with monitoring the guarantees against collective dismissals.
Mr. Katrougalos added that he would not have a problem if another body, which is however impartial and public in its nature, overlooks collective dismissals.
