Collective bargaining to be promoted in the public sector

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In July 1998, the Greek Government introduced a draft bill promoting collective bargaining in the public administration. Trade unions welcomed the proposal.

On 15 July 1998, a draft bill on the "promotion of free collective bargaining in public administration" was completed and introduced by the Ministry of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation. In its explanatory report, the Government says that the bill will bring about a drastic change in the Greek administrative system, as it secures the right of civil servants to conduct collective bargaining on their conditions of employment, and to organise the exercise of this right. In its view, the change introduced by the bill is necessary in order to modernise the public administration and run it effectively and in accordance with citizens' needs. It also points out that the bill will eliminate a fundamental contradiction arising from the existing legal framework, which provides for the right to strike but not the right to bargain.

From the workers' side, the president of the Confederation of Public Servants (ADEDY) stated that the bill meets a long-standing demand of unions in the public sector. Its immediate submission will change the "authoritarian" nature of the relation of the state, as employer, with its employees, and will help improve the effectiveness and quality of public services. At the same time, the bill will give public sector unions more bargaining power, unity and cohesion. Nevertheless, ADEDY pointed out in a statement on 16 July 1998 that the Government has repeatedly committed itself to introduce collective bargaining in the public sector, but has not done so to date, despite the fact that a committee set up to work on this issue has completed its deliberations and ADEDY has submitted its detailed recommendations. In this framework, the ADEDY is calling for the relevant bill to be laid before Parliament immediately.