Ministry of Labour and Social Security (Greece)

History

The Ministry of Labour was first established in October 1935 by the Kondylis government, following the urging of Georgios Kartalis, who also served as its first Minister.

After one year, in January 1936, the new Demertzis government abolished the ministry.

Following the coup of August 4, 1936, by Ioannis Metaxas, the "Deputy ministry of Labour" was established, under the "Ministry of National Economy", with the responsibility "...to systematically ensure harmonious cooperation between labour and capital, to promote the National Economy and the moral and material upliftment of the working classes."

In November 1936, it was upgraded to an independent Deputy Ministry. Aristeidis Dimitratos, former General Secretary of the GSEE (General Confederation of Greek Workers), who, as a repentant communist, joined the conservative faction during this period, served as Deputy Minister. During his tenure as minister, state control over the labor market was strengthened, many professions were declared "closed" and "protected," and businesses were prohibited from dismissing employees without government approval. At the same time, a minimum daily wage was established, regardless of the days worked, industry-wide labor contracts were systematized, the eight-hour workday was further implemented, and labor legislation was more formally enforced.

With the onset of the military dictatorship, the Ministry of Labor was abolished, and its responsibilities were transferred to the Ministry of National Economy. A deputy minister responsible for employment issues was appointed to oversee these matters. When the Ministry of National Economy was dissolved under the Markezinis government, one of the five ministries that emerged from its dissolution was the Ministry of Employment. This "Ministry of Employment," established for the first time, essentially absorbed the responsibilities of the abolished "Ministry of Labor." It was responsible for implementing government policy on matters concerning the employment of the country's workforce.

In August 1976, the Konstantinos Karamanlis government reinstated the name Ministry of Labour. Konstantinos Laskaris served as the Minister of Labor for all the initial post-dictatorship New Democracy governments, holding the portfolio from November 21, 1974, until October 21, 1981. Laskaris was heavily criticized by the Left, particularly for Law 330/1976, which aimed to control the forms of labor demands, restricting spontaneous worker uprisings and granting increased intervention powers to the executive and judicial authorities.

In September 1995, the social security sector was detached from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the corresponding department, the "General Secretariat of Social Security", was incorporated into the Ministry of Labor, where it has remained since. The Ministry was renamed to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.

In 2001, the government of Costas Simitis attempted a reform in social security policy, mainly in its pension arm, by increasing the retirement age (abolishing the 35-year service requirement and introducing the principle of retirement after 40 years of work), reducing pensions, and cutting early retirements, which sparked significant social unrest. This unrest also arose within the ranks of the ruling party, prompting Costas Simitis to "back down" and indefinitely postpone the reform.

List of ministers

Labour (1976–1997)

Labour and Social Security (1995–2001)

Employment and Social Protection (2004–2009)

Labour and Social Security (2009–2012)

Labour, Social Security and Welfare (2012–2015)

Labour and Social Solidarity (2015)

Labour, Social Insurance and Social Solidarity (2015–2019)

Labour and Social Affairs (2019–2023)

Labour and Social Security (2023–present)

References

References

1. [https://minfin.gov.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/%CE%9A%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C%CF%82-%CE%A0%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%8B%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%BF%CE%B3%CE%B9%CF%83%CE%BC%CF%8C%CF%82-2025_%CE%9F%CE%95.pdf State budget,2025]
2. (12 January 2022). "Γεώργιος Καρτάλης: Αστός, προοδευτικός, φιλελεύθερος".
3. ΦΕΚ Α 379/ 1936
4. Ιωαννίδης, Στέφανος. (2019). "Το κίνημα των εργοστασιακών επιτροπών, 1974-1981".