Soumeli, Eva

In January 2001, Greece's OTOE bank workers' trade union issued its platform of demands for forthcoming bargaining over a new collective agreement for the banking sector. OTOE's demands include pay increases which take into account future inflation and past losses of purchasing power, and the introduction of a 35-hour working week.

The Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) called a 24-hour nationwide general strike on 7 December 2000. The well-supported strike was aimed at influencing parliamentary debate on the government's controversial draft bill on measures to promote employment, which will have implications in areas such as dismissals and working time.

In the parliamentary elections of 9 April 2000, the ruling Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Panelino Socialistiko Kinima, PASOK) won a majority and again formed a government with Konstantinos Simitis as Prime Minister. The other most important political event of 2000 was preparation for Greece's entry into third stage of EU Economic and Monetary Union as the 12th member of the single currency zone, which occurred on 1 January 2001.

In December 2000, the Hellenic Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (ELINYAE), presented awards to Greek enterprises with outstanding practices in the fields of combating workplace stress and musculoskeletal complaints and replacing dangerous chemical substances. The awards ceremony gave the social partners and government an opportunity to outline their policies in this area.

With oil price rises triggering increased inflation in autumn 2000, Greek trade unions are concerned about the effects on the incomes of workers and pensioners. In September, the GSEE union confederation called on the government to take immediate measures to address the situation and posed the question of renegotiating the pay terms of the National General Collective Labour Agreement and lower-level collective agreements, if this becomes necessary.

On 24 August 2000, Greece's GSEE trade union confederation withdrew temporarily from bilateral talks organised by the government over the latter's proposals for new policies on increasing employment and reducing unemployment. GSEE objected to the government's failure to present a detailed document on the issues concerned.

In late July 2000, shortly after announcing proposals regarding new policies on employment and unemployment, the Greek government issued an invitation to the social partners to begin bilateral talks on nine issues in this area. The GSEE trade union confederation accepted the invitation.

In July 2000, following the announcement by the Greek government of new measures on employment and unemployment, the GSEE trade union confederation held a series of meetings with employers' organisations to discuss their positions on the proposals.

After four months of bargaining, Greece's new National General Collective Agreement was signed at the end of May 2000. The agreement will be in force for the two-year period, 2000-1, and provides for minimum pay increases and measures in areas such as annual leave, maternity leave and social insurance.

In April 2000, 430 workers were temporarily laid off at Athenian Paper Mills (Softex) plant in Drama, Greece, following the takeover of the company. The lay-offs led to legal action and a top-level tripartite meeting between the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, company management and trade unions.