Nineteen women's organizations refute Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who claimed yesterday from the floor of Parliament that they had agreed to the Hatzidakis' labor bill. «Nothing could be further from the truth!» they emphasize in a joint statement. They also note that They were neither invited to the consultation nor to the stakeholder hearing to the relevant House Committee on Social Affairs, but instead had criticized the bill, calling for the withdrawal his.
«Do not use women's organizations, as well as international conventions, as a pretext for passing an anti-labor law that harms both women and men, undermining rights and achievements built up over the years»they emphasize.".
The full statement from the 19 women's organizations:
«Today, in his speech to Parliament, the Prime Minister stated that women’s organizations had agreed to the labor bill. Nothing could be further from the truth!”
A number of women’s organizations were invited by the National Human Rights Commission, in the presence of the legal advisor to the Minister of Labor, Ms. Hatzidakis, and officials from the office of Deputy Minister Syregela, and we expressed our views and our opposition to the anti-labor provisions of the bill.
Specifically, we emphasized that, due to ambiguities, omissions, and contradictions with existing relevant legislation, it will make the implementation of the Convention difficult, if not impossible. There is, therefore, that there is a risk of ratifying a Convention that will remain inactive, just as happened with the Istanbul Convention (Law 4531/2018).
The overwhelming majority of these organizations were not invited by the standing parliamentary committee on social affairs to present their views.
We regret that the Prime Minister has been misinformed, as we assume (we do not want to believe otherwise), and made that specific reference to women’s organizations.
We hereby declare that:
- No women's organization has endorsed the bill; on the contrary, all of them have criticized it and called for its withdrawal
- All women’s organizations have called for the ratification of International Labor Organization Convention No. 190 through a separate law, following broad consultation.
- Women’s organizations have made specific proposals for the better implementation of Convention 190, as well as for achieving a balance between family and professional life, in conditions of dignity and equality in the workplace.
- Do not use women’s organizations—or international conventions—as a pretext for passing an anti-labor law that harms both women and men, undermining rights and achievements won over many years.
Signatories
Network to Combat Violence Against Women
Greek Network for the Feminist Strike
Greek Network of Women in Europe
Women's Union of Greece (E.G.E.)
Association of Greek Women Lawyers
European Network Against Violence (ENA)
Center for Research and Action for Peace (KEDE)
Democratic Women's Movement
Association of Greek Women Scientists (S.E.E.)
«TO MOV» Women's Rights Association»
Christian Young Women's Association (XEN) of Greece
A group of women from the "Thryallida" Association for Social and Cultural Action
MITERAS ERGON Association of Mothers of Large Families
Association of Greek Female Engineers with Degrees
Women's Rights Group Social Intervention West
Association of Albanian Women in Greece
Women's Self-Defense Team
NIMERTIS ACTIONART, a private legal entity
THEODORA Feminist Collective
