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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-11-21
CONTENTS
[01] Finance ministry sources report 'substantial convergence' with
institutions on fiscal, justice issues
[02] Condolences book for former president Constantinos Stephanopoulos
at presidential mansion
[03] ELSTAT rejects claims that official figures underestimate 'real'
unemployment
[04] Civil servants' union federation ADEDY calls strike and rally
next Thursday
[01] Finance ministry sources report 'substantial convergence' with
institutions on fiscal, justice issues
There has been "substantial convergence" in the negotiations between
the government and the institutions' missions in Athens on all matters
related to fiscal issues and justice, finance ministry sources reported
on Monday.
They said that meetings between the heads of the missions and Finance
Minister Euclid Tsakalotos, Economy Minister Dimitris Papadimitriou,
Energy Minister George Stathakis and Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis
were concluded in a good atmosphere, while the final technical details
will be clarified over the next few days.
[02] Condolences book for former president Constantinos Stephanopoulos
at presidential mansion
A book of condolence for former Greek president Constantine
Stephanopoulos, who died in hospital on Sunday night, is to be opened
at the presidential mansion on Tuesday and Wednesday. According to
a presidency announcement, the entrance for the public will be from
Vassilisis Georgiou II Avenue, between 10:00-14:00 and 17:00-20:00.
[03] ELSTAT rejects claims that official figures underestimate 'real'
unemployment
Greece's independent statistical authority ELSTAT on Monday criticised a
recent report by the Employment Institute of the General Confederation
of Employees of Greece (GSEE) trade union group, advising "avoidance
of references to 'real' unemployment rates" and rejecting suggestions
that the official figures underestimated its full extent.
In an announcement, ELSTAT said that the unemployment figures that
it published, as well as other labour market parameters, were drawn
up in accordance with European guidelines and definitions, decided at
international statistical conferences under the aegis of the International
Labour Organisation (ILO), in order to produce comparable statistics
across the EU and OECD.
In response to criticism that this official figure did not take into
account the workers that were under-employed, or people seeking work but
not available during the period of the survey, or those available but
not seeking work, ELSTAT clarified that these cases were also recorded
as three separate indices after 2013, which were complementary to
the unemployment rate. These recorded individuals that "shared common
characteristics with those considered unemployed, on the basis of the
established definition of the ILO, but did not satisfy all the criteria
to be termed unemployed," ELSTAT said.
[04] Civil servants' union federation ADEDY calls strike and rally
next Thursday
The civil servants' union federation ADEDY announced a rally in
Klafthmonos Square on Thursday at 11:00, on the same day that it has
declared a 24-hour general strike.
ADEDY's strike action was decided in response to the negotiations
between the government and institutions on labour issues and trade union
rights, which it said would lead to new reversals, such as fully lifting
restrictions on mass layoffs and further cuts to the minimum wage, as
well as extending regimes of flexible hours and non full-time employment.
Among others, ADEDY wants a stop to processes for the assessment of
structures and staff, the abolition of laws reducing permanent positions,
the abolition of "rented" employees, part-time employment and flexible
hours employment and the abolition of laws that reduced pensions, wages
and benefits.
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