Kerameus talks to ERT about new labour bill and ministry's aims

Workers are successful a stronger presumption successful today's labour market, Labour and Social Security Minister Niki Kerameus asserted successful an interrogation with the nationalist broadcaster ERT programme 'Press Talk'.

During the interview, broadcast connected Monday, Kerameus pointed retired that unemployment has dropped to 8% from 20% a fewer years ago, making it overmuch easier for idiosyncratic to find a occupation and making it harder for businesses to find employees.

Talking astir the caller labour bill, Kerameus said this had 2 main pillars, aiming to enactment workers, connected the 1 hand, and to simplify and modernise the labour market, connected the different hand.

"The measure has surely been discussed a batch but lone astir 1 of its provisions, not the different 87. I accidental this because, successful my opinion, it contains precise important provisions that enactment workers," she said, citing a measurement allowing parents to enactment 4 days a week passim the week, oregon expanding the imaginable beneficiaries of maternity benefits by easing eligibility requirements.

Regarding the proviso allowing 13-hour days for the aforesaid employer, she stressed that this did not abolish the eight-hour time and lone allowed 13-hours of enactment for up to 37 days successful a twelvemonth and up to 3 days successful each month. She besides pointed retired that radical could already enactment up to 13 hours successful a day, but lone astatine 2 oregon much abstracted employers, whereas present they would besides get a 40% wage hike for the other hours.

The curate besides spoke astir the measures taken to little unemployment and bring backmost Greeks who had emigrated to enactment abroad, portion she besides referred to the value of ineligible migration to screen labour shortages and support growth.