Keravnos climbs down over temp workers

Finance Minister Makis Keravnos climbed down in the dispute with temporary government workers on Monday, promising a House of Representatives sub-committee that between 100 and 120 of the 270 employees made redundant a few weeks ago would get their jobs back, while the remainder could be allowed to work on 15-day contracts or be hired on a needs basis.

The government pledged in its Convergence Programme to freeze new recruitment in the civil service and intends to phase out the use of contract employees.

However, the heat on Keravnos began to rise last week, when 2,500 temporary workers, backed by the powerful PASYDY union, demonstrated outside parliament, demanding changes to their terms of employment.

Last Friday the contract put off strike plans after getting promises from the ministry of finance about their rights.

The contract workers want to be able to complete 30 months employment, after which they argue their rights under EU law would be significantly enhanced: for example they would be able to work indefinitely.

The Financial Mirror tried to confirm these claims with legal experts. According our sources, specific rights for short-term and long-term employees differ across member states, but there do exist principles in EU law that prevent employers from constantly rolling over short-term contracts simply in order to avoid the more costly legal obligations to longer-term employees.