Focusing on the new framework for the minimum wage, a round of contacts with the national social partners will start tomorrow, beginning tomorrow, starting with the GSEE.

The meetings, which will be held on the initiative of the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Niki Kerameos, with the participation of the Secretary General for Labour Relations Nikos Milapidis, will focus on the conclusion of the Scientific Committee on the transposition of the European Directive on adequate minimum wages and the procedure for determining the minimum wage proposed in it.

In particular, the proposal concerns the use of a mathematical formula as a more objective, predictable and transparent way of calculating the minimum wage, based on the example of the French system and similar systems in other European countries.

The formula is proposed to take into account inflation and productivity growth in the economy. At the same time, it is proposed to create a Consultation Committee, mainly composed of representatives of the social partners, to give an opinion on the level of the statutory minimum wage and its updating, thus enhancing the role of the social partners in the process.

In addition, it is proposed to draw up a roadmap (“action plan”) for strengthening collective bargaining and increasing the proportion of workers covered by collective bargaining, with the active involvement of the social partners.

It is worth noting that the conclusion was delivered to the Minister on 8 October and in a period of just one week Ms Kerameos is activating the dialogue on this crucial issue, with the curtain of meetings opening with the GSEE.

The meeting of the Minister and the Secretary General with the representatives of the GSEE is scheduled for Tuesday, October 15, followed by successive meetings with the representatives of the other national social partners.

It is recalled that Ms Kerameos has already held a first round of talks with the representatives of all national social partners, in the framework of the Social Pact for Labour that she is promoting, immediately after taking office as Minister of Labour and Social Security.