Among those identified, it is necessary to strengthen low salary against the course inflation and an equally recognized need to rid the business of ever-increasing operating costs, mainly because of it. energy crisisproposals of the social partners on its height are moving minimal salary. The trial has begun and is less than 25 days away. Center for Planning and Economic Research (KEPE) draw up, after studying the positions of all social partners and scientific bodies, its final proposal to the Ministry of Labor, so that then, by mid-March, the corresponding ministerial decree will be signed, determining the increase in salaries and wages for at least 650,000 workers. Today, based on a new stifling schedule, institutions and departments will have to present their research, which will form the basis of further, even oral, negotiations. Already yesterday, GSEE introduced its own, announcing a three-year “unfreeze” and a minimum wage of 826 euros, 15.8% more than today’s 713 euros. According to the Institute of Labor (INE) of the Confederation, this amount covers at least 60% of the average full-time wage, which is the “threshold” of poverty and is 780 euros in Greece. However, at the same time, it also covers the 6 percent inflation that INE GSEE estimates is prevailing in the country this year.

In accordance with GSEE, the rapid rise in prices and the cost of living in our country since June 2021, for the first time after at least 24 years of continuous medium de-escalation, has negatively affected the living conditions of a significant part of households. As noted in the study of the institute, the percentage of workers living in conditions of severe material deprivation, even after the increase in the minimum wage by 9.7% in 2022, increased by 0.2 points. The proposed GSEE increase in the minimum wage in 2023 is expected to reduce material deprivation by 2.5 percentage points from 2022 levels.

It is recalled that inflation in 2023 will shift to 5% according to budget forecasts, while according to the OECD it will decrease to 3.7%, and an anemic growth rate of even 1.8% is predicted.

In this context, most representatives of the social partners in their reports “picture” an increase of close to 5% to 7%, while analysts estimate that the intention of the government (the KEPE report does not oblige Minister of Labor Kostis Hatsidakis) is closer to 7% – 7.75%, corresponding to pension supplements, or even higher, around 9%, so that the minimum wage approaches 770–780 euros.

At the same time, representatives of mainly employers’ organizations are expected to reformulate proposals for a further reduction in insurance premiums, as well as “compensatory” measures, such as the abolition of a sham collection or an advance tax.

The final decision will be made by the Minister of Labor no later than March 10, so that the new salary will be introduced from April 1, 2023.