A meeting on the revision of the National Minimum Wage will take place in the coming days, according to the new Minister of Labour, Marinos Moussouttas. The aim is to review the positions submitted on Monday by the social partners before the nine-member technical committee.
Speaking to Politis, Mr Moussouttas stated that he intends to “study carefully the positions of the social partners in order to reach the relevant decisions”.
“As I have only today taken the helm of the ministry, I am being briefed continuously by my team, and a meeting will be held in the coming days to assess the positions submitted and proceed with decisions,” he added.
Asked to comment on outgoing minister Yiannis Panayiotou’s statement that the minimum wage would reach approximately €1,125, he replied that “since the process is ongoing, it would not be appropriate to mention a specific figure as further information is required”.
During the handover ceremony on Monday, Mr Panayiotou had said that “we increased the National Minimum Wage from €940 to €1,000, adopting as a reference point the 58.5 percent of the previous year’s median wage”. He added that “remaining consistent with this course, 58.5 percent of the 2024 median wage implies an increase to around €1,100. And if the Cost-of-Living Allowance (CoLA) is added following the recent agreement, it will reach approximately €1,125”.
From the ground to the sky
As previously reported by Politis, the positions of the social partners on the upcoming review of the National Minimum Wage vary significantly. Trade unions, through the official submissions presented to the technical committee, are requesting a substantial increase of more than €160 to compensate for the loss of purchasing power.
Employer organisations, meanwhile, propose a much lower increase. They are preparing specific formulas based on economic performance, applying a rational approach that also takes into account inflation and unemployment levels.
According to information obtained by Politis, one employer organisation has proposed an increase of 3.86 percent, amounting to €39 plus CoLA.
Trade unions are also citing the recent decision of the European Court of Justice concerning the EU Directive on adequate minimum wages. The court upheld Article 5(1), which links minimum wages with adequacy to ensure a decent standard of living, and Article 5(4), which refers to the “dignity threshold” based on 50 percent of the average wage and 60 percent of the median wage as key benchmarks. Unions are additionally calling for the minimum wage to be expressed on an hourly basis.
Following the submission of positions, the committee is expected to prepare a single consolidated text — likely by tomorrow — and brief the new Minister of Labour to enable decision-making. The relevant decree is estimated for release toward the end of the month.
The positions of the social partners will be discussed on Wednesday during the committee’s scheduled teleconference.
A two-phase adjustment
As the outgoing minister recently told parliament, if the economic outlook remains positive, lower-paid workers should also benefit. The improvement of the National Minimum Wage includes a two-phase adjustment to the national decree:
December 2025, to enter into force in 2026
December 2027, to enter into force on 1 January 2028
Responding to a parliamentary question on possible increases to the minimum wage beyond CoLA, he clarified that “CoLA is not the increase; it is something additional. The minimum wage will be adjusted on the basis of criteria and reference points”. He noted that linking it with CoLA simply results in a more favourable outcome.