Despite growth and pay rises, Greek workers are among the poorest in Europe
Despite economic growth and rising wages under Greece's New Democracy government since 2019, Greek workers remain among the poorest in the EU due to high inflation and low purchasing power. Real incomes have fallen by a third over the past 15 years, even as minimum wage and tax reforms were implemented. A major factor is the sharp decline in collective bargaining coverage, now below 20%, far short of EU standards.
- ▪Greek workers have the second-lowest annual salaries in the EU after Bulgaria.
- ▪Real incomes in Greece have fallen by a third in the past 15 years despite recent wage increases.
- ▪Less than 20% of Greek workers are covered by collective bargaining agreements, well below the EU directive of over 80%.
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News|Business and EconomyDespite growth and pay rises, Greek workers are among the poorest in EuropeInflation has robbed them of a third of their income since the post-2009 global financial crisis, statistics show.ListenListen (7 mins)SaveClick here to share on social mediashare-nodesSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoIn real terms, Greek incomes have fallen by a third in the past 15 years [File: Louisa Gouliamaki/Reuters]By John T PsaropoulosPublished On 1 May 20261 May 2026Athens, Greece – When the conservative New Democracy party came to power in Greece in 2019, it promised a work-driven economy that would grow by 4 percent a year and elevate living standards after a decade of austerity.In an appeal to the productive, non-state economy, Kyriakos…
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