Politis

SEK: Re-evaluation of Minimum Wage Necessary to Support Vulnerable Workers

Published January 2, 2026, 17:13
SEK: Re-evaluation of Minimum Wage Necessary to Support Vulnerable Workers

The General Secretary of SEK, Andreas Matsas, highlighted the need to re-evaluate the minimum wage to support the most vulnerable workers, given the ongoing inflation. This was emphasized during a meeting of the trade unions SEK, PEO, and DEOK, where ways to improve the minimum wage and incorporate the minimum wage stipulated in sectoral collective agreements were discussed. Furthermore, the trade unions will submit a memorandum to the President of the Republic requesting a meeting to discuss four key issues. These include improving the minimum wage, redefining the strategy for employing workers from third countries, expanding collective agreements, and implementing the 'Ergani 2' software for better employment controls. SEK emphasizes the need for better regulation of the labor market and improved working conditions. The expansion of collective agreements is considered important, as it is strengthened by the directive on the European Minimum Wage. However, the implementation of the link between public contracts and the application of collective agreements, which had been agreed with the President, has not yet been realized. Finally, the implementation of 'Ergani 2' is expected to contribute to better monitoring of employment, preventing deviations from agreements and limiting undeclared or under-declared work. SEK considers the Labor Advisory Body an important institution for managing labor issues and socio-economic policy.