Over 45 proposals coming from national social partners and citizens, through public consultation, have been incorporated into the labor bill The Minister of Labor and Social Security said today (7.10.2025) Ceramic Victoryduring an interview with Ant1.
Victory of Kerameos mentioned as a typical example of the incorporation, in the bill, of the GSEE’s recommendation, which proposed that no discrimination against employee who refuses to work overtime. The bill provided in its first form that the employee’s consent was required to work overtime and his refusal could not lead to dismissal. With the GSEE proposal incorporated by the Minister into the labor bill, this arrangement was further strengthened.
Answering citizens’ questions about the alleged 13 -hour work, The minister clarified that this is only exceptional and there are specific limits. “This cannot be done more than 37 days a year, that is, by analogy not more than three days a month,” he clarified. Answering another question about the employee’s ability to refuse overtime employment to the employer, he noted that “this debate is taking place at a time when unemployment is at the lowest 18 years of age. It matters. Because as unemployment decreases, as competition increases for specific recruitment, it is strengthened, the employee’s position is greatly strengthened. “
The minister even recalled that the same debate was held a year ago on a supposed six -day work. “We then said that the worker, as it is today, may refuse, is only exceptional. It is exactly the same context. It may refuse, it is exceptionally, it is very expensive for the employer to do so. Let’s see what happened this measure a year later: How many businesses apply this supposedly six -day, called emergency shift? 0.1%. Here’s the proof of the practical. “
The minister then talked about the new branches that are included in work cardwhich are wholesale, energy, financial services and some tourism administrative services. “We are talking about about 350,000 workers. I recall that the card is already all banks, big supermarkets, insurance companies, DEKOs, all industry, all the retail, all tourism, all focus. A total of 1,850,000 employees are now protected by the digital work card. “, Mrs Kerameos said, adding that by August 1.8 million overtime were recorded than in the eight months of 2024, while saying that the measure was protecting the worker as well as healthy competition.
At the same time the minister noted about insurance contributions That there are two level reductions “in the horizontal reductions we are already at -5.5 percentage points reduction of insurance contributions. It is the largest reduction in insurance contributions in Europe. Another half unit is reduced in 2027. But we also make other reductions. For example, we went through an arrangement on which we removed all the surcharges to overtime contributions, overtime, nightclubs and public holidays, “and added that while we went and reduced to the nominal amount of the levy, this helped a lot in compliance and we had a 48% increase in salaries. I will say it very simply, more went on and said overtime, so we received more in the insurance funds. “
The Minister also referred to the forthcoming increases in pensions Noting that in November, there will be an increase of 250 euros for low -income pensioners. In addition, as he said, there will be an annual increase each year based on GDP growth and inflation, and noted that the decline in tax rates announced by the prime minister at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition also applies to retirees.