Labour reforms at the top of creditors’ demands

Collective bargaining and mass layoffs keys in talks

The document handed to the Greek government by its creditors, after negotiations between the two sides were suspended due to the divergence of views on a number of issues, included the thorny matter of a series of reforms in the labour market. The demands described in the document focused on the need to raise the percentage of mass layoffs from 5% to 10% and scrapping the Ministerial veto on overseeing the lagality of the layoffs. The paper presented to the Greek government over the weekend also revealed their unwillingness to accept the requests put forwrd by the new Labour Minister, Efi Achtzoglou concerning the reintroduction of free collective bargaining. In retuen, according to the document, the institutions offered a vague “promise” to the Greek side, vowing to “continue exploring with the social partners further measures tom ensure that collective bargaining in Greece occur in accordance with the best European practices”.