Background information

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.

Content of measure

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).

Use of measure

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.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Unemployed Other groups of workers Disabled workers	Applies to all businesses	Disabled Other groups of citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Trade unions Employers' organisations Company / Companies	Companies

Social partners

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:

• Social partners jointly
• Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

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).

Views and reactions

It is an initiative of two national social partners in collaboration with a radio station- Alpha989.

Sources

• 08 January 2021: Alliance against Covid: We stay safe. We remain in solidarity. (Συμμαχία κατά του Covid: Μένουμε Ασφαλείς. Μένουμε Αλληλέγγυοι) (eeke.gr)
• 11 January 2021: Action entitled: Alliance against Covid (Δράση με τίτλο: Συμμαχία κατά του Covid) (www.ebex.gr)
• 13 January 2021: Alliance against Covid-19: Business discounts to support consumers (Συμμαχία κατά του Covid-19: Εκπτώσεις από επιχειρήσεις για στήριξη των καταναλωτών (hania.news)