A letter was sent today by the Panhellenic Federation of Restaurant and Allied Professions to the General Secretary of Labour Relations, Nikos Milapidis, regarding today’s circular of the Ministry of Labour concerning the implementation of emergency measures to address the thermal stress of private sector workers.

The PESE is calling for the outdoor work stoppage to be implemented when the temperature is ≥40°C, according to local weather station data rather than forecasts.

More specifically, the letter states:

“Mr. General,

For the second time in 15 days with your decision, in the context of precautionary measures to protect workers from particularly high temperatures, the general reference in the decision without the 40°C limit creates conditions of economic loss for thousands of food service businesses.

From the areas mentioned in the decision we receive strong complaints from professionals in the sector about the great economic damage (loss of products, payment of accruals, etc.) from the implementation of the work ban while the temperature is below 40° C.

In the context of the climate crisis and in the midst of the summer, under no circumstances can the new practice of announcing a ban on outdoor work under EMF forecasts be continued.

According to common sense, the ban should apply when the temperature is ≥40°C according to data from local weather stations, not according to forecasts.”