Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.
Factsheet for measure GR-2021-2/1767 – measures in Greece
Country | Greece , applies nationwide |
Time period | Open ended, started on 08 January 2021 |
Context | COVID-19 |
Type | Other initiatives or policies |
Category |
Measures to prevent social hardship
– Protection of vulnerable groups (beyond employment support) |
Author | Penny Georgiadou (INE GSEE) |
Measure added | 07 February 2021 (updated 16 February 2021) |
The Greek Association of Workers Consumers (EEKE), which is a recognized consumers’ organisation established by the General Confederation of Greek Labour (GSEE) together with the national employers’ organisation the Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen & Merchants (GSEVEE) and the Radio Station “Alpha 9.89” (as media sponsor), decided from January eight 2021 to start an initiative. The initiative is called "Alliance Against Covid" aims to support socially vulnerable groups affected by the pandemic by calling on companies to take part in the campaign by offering discounts on the prices of products and services they offer.
In the initiative any company can participate by offering discounts on the prices of products and services they offer, to those consumers who are regarded as vulnerable groups, that is: unemployed persons who have an unemployment card, large families, university students, persons with disabilities and employees whose employment contract is under suspension due to the pandemic.
The companies have to register in the website www.symmaxiakatatoucovid.gr and announce the discount they offer. The participating companies are advertised on Alpha 9,89 radio. The consumers can be informed about the companies that are members of the action through the website as well as the radio station “Alpha 98,9 fm”.
At the moment, more than 30 companies throughout Greece are participating in the initiative, while more are expected to take part, as the campaign of the Alpha 9,89 radio station is continuous. Also, the initiative is on Facebook (@symmaxiakatatoucovid).
The initiative is quite innovative and it is the result of social dialogue between GSEE and GSEVEE. It aims both to support the socially vulnerable groups affected by the pandemic as well as to support SMEs to stay afloat during the crisis. Also, the media sponsor can help the initiative to become widely known and successful.
Workers | Businesses | Citizens |
---|---|---|
Unemployed
Other groups of workers Disabled workers |
Applies to all businesses |
Disabled
Other groups of citizens |
Actors | Funding |
---|---|
Trade unions
Employers' organisations Company / Companies |
Companies
|
Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:
Trade unions | Employers' organisations | |
---|---|---|
Role | Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative | Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative |
Form | Direct consultation outside a formal body | Direct consultation outside a formal body |
Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
It is an initiative of two national social partners representatives of SMEs and employees (GSEVEE and GSEE) and a broadcast company (Alpha radio station). its aim is to create a network of SMEs offered lower prices to different products and services for people with special needs (vulnerable groups, unemployment and other).
It is an initiative of two national social partners in collaboration with a radio station- Alpha989.
Citation
Eurofound (2021), “Alliance against COVID”: Joint action by the social partners GSEE and GSEVEE and the radio station Alpha989, measure GR-2021-2/1767 (measures in Greece), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/GR-2021-2_1767.html
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