Greek government is considering to give some employment options to civil servants and thus at the expenses of private sector employees. Daily TA NEA reports that civil servants will be given the incentive for an unpaid leave and employment in the private sector. The civil servant will be granted the guarantee to return to the old work place. The unpaid leave will be for 5 years. This ‘bonus’ to civil servants will facilitate the state to decrease wages costs.
On the other hand, this will enable private sector employers to hire with temporary contracts and get rid of lay offs, employees rights etc. Civila servants will be more competitive labor forces in the private sector and thus in times with unemployment of 14% with increasing tendency.
The Greek government is under IMF/EU/ECB pressure to cut the wages costs in the public administration. Currently the ratio is 1 hire :5 leaves.
The government’s objective is 50,000 departures each year, so if you keep the ratio of 1 / 5 the state has the ability to recruit each year 10,000 new employees. With this ratio is number of civil servants will be decreased at 200,000 people.
Given the notorious mistrust of Greeks towards the state it was interesting to read internet users comments in several forum. One user proposed that “to balance the social inequality, private sector employees should be given the right for a temporary work at the public administration with the guarantee to return to same working place in the private sector.”
Another put down the scenario that “cevil servants could form an enterprise, take public contracts, make money and return to their old working place for a relaxed senior life, including the civil servants benefits.”
Result is non civil servants believe the state does everything to keep satisfy the bases of the government voters, that is the civil servants.
