Trade union strategy towards multinational companies Country presentation: Greece

1. Organising social dialogue in the commerce sectorITC-ILO / UNI EUROPA COMMERCE SEMINAR – Ohrid 22/9/2011 Trade union strategy towards multinational companies Country presentation: Greece Panos Kyriakoulias, OIYE, GR

2. Trade unions in Greece • The Greek trade unions especially in the private sector, traditionally have been very weak in terms of membership • The right to organise in trade union was early established (1914), but the governments together with employers wanted a politically controlled trade union movement. In 1918, the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) was established • At the same time, many massive unions established by the Left (communist party) and start mainly a political fight for democracy and promoting workers’ rights against very hostile employers and authoritative conservative governments. • Until 1974 left oriented unions, were for long periods illegal. At the same time, the state was continuously intervening within the trade unions either by courts / or by appointing conservative leader trade unions

3. Trade unions in Greece • Historically, in Greece workers rights (fair wages, working conditions etc) is a result of a political fight and not of collective agreements as a result of a fight against employers • Things changed after 1974 with the establishment of democracy. In 1982, a democratic law on organising in trade unions was passed and the Greek trade unions gain their real autonomy from the state • In 1990, the free collective bargaining (with out state intervention) established by a new law

4. Trade unions in Greece • GSEE: is the workers confederation that organises trade union federations (e.g. building, metal, commerce, banks etc) as well as labour centres (intersectoral local organisations in the regions) • The federations have as members (not physical members), but autonomous primary-level unions, which organise workers either locally, or in companies • Because of historical, economical (Greek economy is based on SMEs), organisational weakness, hostile environment by employers, trade unions are organised mainly at local level (e.g. commerce employees of Athens) and not at company – level • This structure, has made difficult the organising within the companies

5. Trade Unions in Greek Commerce • Commerce workers are organised in the Greek Federation of Private Employees (OIYE - 1922), which is the only and one representative workers’ federation. • OIYE is a member of GSEE and of UNI Europa. • OIYE has 280 affiliated primary based unions, not only in commerce but also in private services. OIYE also organised the office personnel in all sectors of economy • OIYE has approx. 50.000 members of which 60% are commercial employees

6. Greek Commerce • Commerce in Greece represents almost the 14% of the economy and the 16% of the employment • The 85 % of the retail companies are Small and Medium size, with less than 10 workers and employ the 60% of the employees • Large companies in the sector: Super and Hyper Market chains, electrical appliances, department stores, malls, DIY. • In Greece large multinational companies entered very late in the Greek market (small market, geography of Greece –mountains, islands- consumers’ culture etc) • Multinationals are establishing only in the recent years

7. Multinational in Greece • Super Market sector is predominated by Greek firms, that have been successfully resisted in the efforts of the multinational to enter in the Market. • Therefore, multinationals are a quite new phenomenon in Greek Commerce • But, the sector is under restructuring and the multinationals gain year by year a greater market share (now with the fierce economic crisis in Greece, the small companies are closing massively)

8. Multinational in Greece • CARREFOUR and DIA HELLAS: 10.000 employees • Delhaize (AB) – 7.000 employees • LIDL Hellas: 4.000 • PRAKTIKER: 1.500 • MAKRO (Metro): 1.000 • Media Markt: 900 • IKEA: 600 • ZARA (Inditex): 400 • Leroy Merlin; 200 • FNAC: 150 • Saturn: 150

9. OIYE organising in multinationals Difficulties • Multinationals are very hostile in trade unions – union busting (Praktiker, Lidl) • Workers are very reluctant to the trade unions – low trade union density • Weak organisational and financial capabilities – lack of organisers and stable presence at work places • Model of organising workers in local unions in order to protect them better

10. Multinationals in Greece Advantages • National sectoral collective agreement in Commerce that covers all the workers, independently of trade union membership • Communication campaigns – visits of the federation to the work places • Use of government labour inspection authorities, in order to intervene and solve problems

11. Multinationals in Greece New problems • Government changed the collective bargaining law, and the national collective agreement it is not any more applicable to all companies • Each company can negotiate an agreement, worst than the national collective agreement • Employers establish yellow trade unions

12. Multinationals in Greece OIYE presence in multinationals with affiliate unions • DELHAIZE (strong) • PRAKTIKER (strong) • MAKRO (medium) • CAREFFOUR (weak) • LIDL (very weak) • IKEA (very weak) • Media Markt, Saturn, Leroy Merlin, ZARA (no presence)