“There can be no growth without prosperity for the workforce and workers. And today, workers—especially in the restaurant and tourism sectors—are facing head-on the ‘steamroller’ that Mr. Mitsotakis had promised. There is job insecurity due to the policies of Mr. Mitsotakis and all the labor ministers.
In our country, we now have a seven-day workweek, 13-hour days, exhausting schedules, and, in far too many cases, unchecked abuse by employers who are taking advantage of the “backing” that Mitsotakis is literally providing for the violation of labor rights.
“And this has also created a serious workplace safety problem, with hundreds of accidents,” noted the president of SYRIZA-PS, Socrates Famellos, during his meeting with the president, George Hatzoglou, and representatives of the Panhellenic Federation of Food and Tourism Workers.
Socrates Famellos referred to the high number of victims of workplace accidents in 2025 and 2026, emphasizing that “when workers are on the job from dawn until late at night, this has an impact on workplace safety, especially when the government has deliberately weakened all the regulations and institutions meant to protect workers and their labor rights.”
The president of SYRIZA-PS made it clear that the party supports the federation’s just demands in light of tomorrow’s nationwide strike by the sector:
“What we are experiencing in our country is a modern form of labor slavery; that is why you are right to mobilize tomorrow, speaking on behalf of all workers in our country. Because at the same time, low-wage workers are also facing the scourge of profiteering. So, in practical terms, we are talking about a society of poor workers, which exacerbates inequalities and raises serious questions about social cohesion.”
Referring to the proposals of SYRIZA-PS, Socrates Famellos emphasized:
“We need strong collective bargaining agreements that are enforced and comply with the European acquis, with wage increases—not through allowances, but through wages that ensure workers’ well-being. We must protect seasonal workers and ensure compliance with labor laws, while supporting the institutions and oversight mechanisms that safeguard workers’ health and safety.
Because if workers in tourism and the hospitality industry are not protected, the sector itself will not be able to be productive and effective. The prosperity of an economy—and indeed the prosperity of a society—depends on workers who must themselves prosper. And this is the obligation of a democratic state.”
Socrates Famellos reiterated that SYRIZA-PS has submitted two amendments to Parliament regarding the extension of unemployment benefits to seasonal workers, which were rejected by the government.
For his part, POEET President George Hatzoglou explained that the terms “slave labor” and “Middle Ages” do not even begin to describe the working conditions in the sector. Exhausting work schedules, the failure to implement collective bargaining agreements, and the failure to extend unemployment benefits are just some of the issues he highlighted. At the same time, he denounced the complete lack of oversight, noting that “SEPE has not been transformed into an Independent Authority. With Law 4808 of 2021—the infamous ‘Hatzidakis Law’—it has been turned into an invisible Authority.”
Also participating in the meeting on behalf of SYRIZA-PS were Kalliopi Vetta, Member of Parliament for Kozani and head of the tourism sector, as well as Argolis MP and head of the labor and social security sector Giorgos Gavrilos and Deputy Secretary Anastasia Sapouna.
Representing POEET were President George Hatzoglou, General Secretary Fotis Skaltsas, Deputy Secretary Michalis Moutafis, and the president of the “Caravel” Hotel Staff Union, Yiannis Laliotis.