In June 1998, a collective agreement was signed for workers all over Greece employed in enterprises providing security services and security systems. This is the first agreement for the sector, and covers approximately 10,000 workers.
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In June 1998, a collective agreement was signed for workers all over Greece employed in enterprises providing security services and security systems. This is the first agreement for the sector, and covers approximately 10,000 workers.
A new collective agreement was signed on 26 June 1998 by the Union of Security Companies (ENEA) and the Federation of Private Sector Employees (OIYE), and will remain in force for two years, from 1 January 1998 to 31 December 1999. The settlement covers some 10,000 workers in the following occupations, provided they are members of primary unions which belong to the OIYE: security personnel (guards, chief guards, superintendents), armoured-car escorts, armoured-car drivers, secretaries, office employees, collectors, warehouse personnel, messengers, accountants and assistant accountants, computer operators, technicians for installation and maintenance of security systems, electronic technicians for technical equipment, and cleaning personnel. The deal is the first sectoral agreement for enterprises providing security services and security systems.
What is innovative about this new agreement is that the workers concerned will now be paid on the basis of white-collar employee status and not as blue-collar workers and technicians, as has been the case up until now. As a result, workers will receive pay higher than that foreseen by the National General Collective Agreement, incorporating the labour agreements for the relevant occupations in the sector which were in force up to 31 December 1997.
For 1999, basic pay for the majority of workers covered by the agreement is increased by 2.8%. This percentage includes projected inflation between December 1998 and December 1999 of 2%; the increase will be paid in two equal instalments. If the real increase in the consumer prices index between December 1998 and December 1999 is greater than the projected 2%, the difference will be paid on 1 January 2000 on wages as they stand on 31 December 1999. Benefits for the various occupations foreseen in the present agreement are calculated on the relevant scales of basic wages and salaries currently in force, apart from those cases which are regulated differently by existing collective agreements.
Total earnings higher than those set by the new collective agreement, paid on the basis of existing laws, decrees, ministerial decisions, by-laws or individual labour agreements are not affected by the provisions of the new agreement.
Both sides have already submitted the agreement to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, so that it can be declared mandatory in all enterprises of the sector, thus ensuring equal conditions for competition.
Eurofound recommends citing this publication in the following way.
Eurofound (1998), First sectoral agreement signed for security personnel, article.
