Heraklion’s hospitality workers rally on April 9, 2025, pushing for fair pay, better working conditions, maternity benefits, and unemployment reforms.
The Heraklion Tourism and Hospitality Employees Union has announced its participation in the 24-hour nationwide strike called by GSEE and scheduled for Wednesday, April 9, 2025. The organized action is also supported by the Panhellenic Federation of Food Service and Tourism Workers (POEET) and aims to raise the sector’s urgent concerns.
Their platform includes increasing the seasonal unemployment benefit, granting sufficient maternity leave pay, implementing the digital work card system, and negotiating a new sectoral collective labor agreement—a priority list that seeks to restore dignity and equity in their profession.
In a bid to strengthen its voice, the union has invited all industry members to gather at Heraklion’s Labor Center at 10:00 a.m. The rally will call for improved standards and the delivery of a decent quality of life for all the workers concerned.
The protest is centered around core issues affecting thousands of workers in the tourist and hospitality sector. Some of the problems among their grievances include:
- The seasonal unemployment allowance remains limited to just three months, restricting support during off-seasons. Workers argue this has led to extreme hardship and widespread job vacancies totaling approximately 80,000 positions.
- Maternity benefits are currently nonexistent for seasonal employees in the food services and tourism industry, raising serious concerns for working mothers.
- The enforcement of the digital work card system needs oversight to protect employees from exploitation and ensure fair practices.
- The absence of collective labor agreements and the failure to set a fair minimum wage through social partnership have left wages stagnant and insufficient.
- For the hospitality sector to regain stability and attract a dedicated workforce, a new collective labor agreement with terms beneficial to workers needs to be signed.
Compounded by the escalated cost of living, housing problems, and flat wages, workers have vented their disillusionment. Individuals feel trapped in a cycle where economic security and personal prosperity are out of reach.
All eyes are now on April 9, as workers unite with unbreakable determination to demand change. Will their collective shout finally be heard? Only time will tell, but one thing is sure: their message can’t be silenced.
