Greece’s Tourism Body SETE Tables Priorities Ahead of New Labor Law

SETE President Yannis Paraschis (3nd from left) at the meeting with Labor Minister Adonis Georgiadis (1st from right). Photo source: @AdonisGeorgiadis.

The board of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) met on Tuesday with Labor Minister Adonis Georgiadis to discuss priorities ahead of a new labor law to go up for public consultation in the coming weeks.

Heading the delegation, SETE President Yiannis Paraschis tabled a set of priorities to be taken into consideration ahead of the law’s approval.

Issues discussed included:

• staff shortages in the tourism sector
• the ability to relocate employees
• the introduction of a digital work card based on area of employment
• proposals to boost employment in the tourism sector
• the need for professional training and upskilling of employees in the sector
• the optimization of the supply-demand connection in the labor market, and
• the development of attractive incentives for tourism employment.

Main changes to the labor law, which aims to converge with the relevant EU directive on informal work, include a six-month trial period, six-day work with an increased daily wage by up to 40 percent, zero-hours contracts, free training opportunities, dismissal rights, and the option of working for two different employers.

Additionally, the new law also foresees that employers must inform in writing or digitally employees of essential terms of employment within one month of recruitment and lastly the new law provides for the creation of an online employment platform listing private sector jobs for young scientists living in Greece and abroad and in specialized sectors.