16 October 2015•Update: 20 October 2015
By Vasiliki Mitsiniotu
ATHENS
More than 13,000 thousand jobs were lost in the month of September in Greece, the second worst salaried employment drop in the last 15 years, according to the Labor Ministry.
In the past years Greece has faced repeated rounds of spending cuts and tax hikes imposed by the bailout agreement with Greece's European creditors. The country’s multiple rescues from the brink of bankruptcy since 2010 thanks to bailout loans have led to increasing unemployment and rising poverty, and resulted in an overall erosion of living standards, labor lawyer Giannis Karouzos told Anadolu Agency.
Nearly 27.9 percent of the population could not find a job between 2009 and 2014, according to the Statistical Office of the European Union (EuroStat).
Employment has declined from 42.25 percent to 38.15 percent since last September, according to ministry statistics. Part-time employment, however, has increased by 15.46 percentage points and shift work added 7.71 percentage points, suggesting that those who cannot find full-time jobs are obliged to work fewer hours and earn less.
Karouzos said that flexible forms of employment, such as shift work and part-time employment are used as the means to make an increasing number of workers redundant.
More people are working without insurance benefits, Karouzos said. Because work is scarce, workers are willing to work without insurance benefits, the lawyer explained.
However, Maria Karamesini of the Manpower Employment Organization (OAED) said: “After the explosion of tourism during the summer months, there have been significant reductions in employment which we [normally] see in September, as many seasonal workers leave their jobs at that time.”
Karamesini believes that loans from European creditors will lift the Greek economy, and lead to increased employment. Meanwhile, OAED, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labor, will start a funding program for Greek businesses to enable 12,700 employees to keep their jobs.
The ministry plans more employment programs which will begin in November and run for five months, with the aim of the creation of 65,000 jobs.
In a vote on Friday, the Greek parliament will decide on a multi-bill that contains more reforms to meet the targets of the third bailout agreement.
Greece's bailout deal is to provide €86 billion ($95.5 billion) over three years if the Greek government enacts economic reform legislation as called for by the bailout agreement.
