Labor Issues, Wages Top Greek Hoteliers – Minister Meeting Agenda  

The Hellenic Hoteliers Federation’s Aggelos Kallias (Secretary General), Iraklis Tsitlakidis (Vice President), Andreas Fiorentinos (Head of the tourism sector of ruling New Democracy), Ioannis Hatzis (President), Domna Michailidou (Labor Minister), Emmanouil Giannoulis (Deputy President), Konstantinos Marinakos (Vice President) and Nikos Zoitos (legal advisor).

Increasing the number of people employed in tourism and improving working conditions topped the agenda of talks between Labor Minister Domna Michailidou and the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation (POX).

Michailidou said addressing staff shortages was a key priority as was manning the industry with younger employees and improving the working conditions in the sector.

Among others, POX President Ioannis Hatzis and Michailidou agreed on the need to offer more vocational training options, better wages, and the digital work card, particularly in view of the upcoming tourism season.

“Our aim is to improve the living conditions of employees and to provide the appropriate incentives to increase the number of workers in the tourism industry,” said Michailidou.

Last month, the minister met with the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) to discuss the implementation of the digital work card which can protect employee rights and contribute to the streamlined operation of businesses. Other issues on the agenda included offering vocational training options to employees and to the unemployed which will help them secure better paying jobs in the future.

Greece is expected to increase the basic wage starting next month by up to 6.4 percent to affect some 600,000 employees.