Greece Strikes Historic Deal to Restore Collective Labor Agreements

Greece has struck a landmark pact to revive collective labor agreements, sealing an unprecedented consensus between the government and all major employer and worker organizations. The agreement was unveiled on November 26 during a joint press briefing led by Labor Minister Niki Kerameus alongside representatives of the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV), and the Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen, and Merchants (GSEVEE).

Kerameus described the accord as a turning point for Greece’s labor framework, highlighting both its scale and its unifying force. “It is a historic agreement—not only because never before has such a broad coalition of National Social Partners reached a common position, but because it lays down a stable, transparent foundation for all sides. It marks a new era for Collective Labor Agreements in Greece,” she said.

A New Framework for Collective Bargaining

The agreement focuses on strengthening collective bargaining through easier extension of sectoral agreements, wider worker coverage, guaranteed protections after an agreement expires, and faster channels for resolving disputes. Central to the deal is a reduction in the threshold required to extend a Collective Labor Agreement across an entire sector: from 50% to 40% of workers represented by signatory employers.