Freedom of Association
Database 2024

Freedom of Association
Indicator
Freedom of Association
Countries
LRI 2024
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Greece

Freedom of Association Indicator

The Labour Rights Index 2024 (LRI 2024) is a de-jure index covering 145 economies and structured around the working lifespan of a worker. In total, 46 questions or evaluation criteria are scored across 10 indicators. The overall score is calculated by taking the average of each indicator, with 100 being the highest possible score. The Index uses a rating system, ranging from “Total Lack of Decent Work” to “Decent Work”. The Labour Rights Index aims at an active contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, by providing necessary (complementary) insights into de jure provisions on issues covered in particular by SDG8 (Decent Jobs), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 16 (Strong Institutions). The Index is based on national labour legislation, applicable on 1 January 2024.

Greece’s overall score is 96 out of 100. The overall score for Greece is greater than the regional average observed across Eastern Europe (88). Within the Eastern Europe, the highest score is observed for Greece & Hungary (96).

Greece ratified Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise (1948) in 1962 and Convention No. 98 on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining (1949) in 1962.

Labour Rights Index 2024

96/100

LRI Country Score

100/100

Freedom of Association Indicator

18.97 %

Trade union density rate (%)

25.8 %

Collective bargaining coverage rate (%)

0.85

SDG indicator 8.8.2

4

ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 Ratings

Question

Answer

Score

Legal Basis

More Info

Does the law allow workers to form and join unions of their own choice?

Yes

1

§23 of the Constitution, 1975; Law No. 1264 on Trade Union Organizations, 1982

Does the law allow workers to bargain collectively with employers through their representative unions?

Yes

1

Law No. 1876 of Collective Agreements, 1990; Act No. 4635/2019

Does the law provide for the right to strike?

Yes

1

§19 of the Law No. 1264 on Trade Union Organizations, 1982; ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 (Greece Profile)

C

Does the law prohibit imposing of excessive sanctions against striking workers?

Yes

1

§14 of the Law No.1264 on Trade Union Organizations, 1982

Textual sources

A : National Law

National Labour Legislation

B : CEACR

CEACR: ILO Committee of Experts on Application of Conventions and Recommendations (latest report)

C : ITUC

ITUC: ITUC Global Rights Index

D : USDOS

USDOS: US Department of States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

LRI Country Score
The Labour Rights Index has 10 indicators and 46 sub-indicators. The LRI Country score averages 10 indicators and ranges between 0 and 100. The lowest and highest scorers are Nigeria (29/100) and Belgium/Greece (96/100). https://labourrightsindex.org/  

Freedom of Association Indicator
The Freedom of Association indicator is composed of 4 sub-indicators. Scoring is done through the binary method (0 or 1). The score ranges between 0-100. 

Trade union density rate (%)
The trade union density rate conveys the number of union members who are employees as a percentage of the total number of employees in the country. For updated statistics on trade union density, please check ILOSTAT. 

Collective bargaining coverage rate (%)
The collective bargaining coverage rate conveys the number of employees whose pay and/or conditions of employment are determined by one or more collective agreement(s) as a percentage of the total number of employees in the country. For updated statistics on collective bargaining coverage, please check ILOSTAT. 

SDG indicator 8.8.2
SDG indicator 8.8.2 measures national compliance with fundamental labour rights (freedom of association and collective bargaining or FACB). It ranges from 0 to 10, with 0 being the best possible score (indicating higher levels of compliance with FACB rights) and 10 the worst (indicating lower levels of compliance with FACB rights). It is based on six ILO supervisory body textual sources and national legislation.
For an updated assessment on SDG indicator 8.8.2, please check ILOSTAT. 

ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 Ratings
The ITUC Global Rights Index depicts the world’s worst countries for workers by rating 148 countries on a scale from 1 to 5+ on the degree of respect for workers’ rights. Violations are recorded each year from April to March.  For a detailed description of ratings and methodology, please follow the link. 

Information

Source: §23 of the Constitution, 1975; Law No. 1264 on Trade Union Organizations, 1982

Information

Source: Law No. 1876 of Collective Agreements, 1990; Act No. 4635/2019

Information

Source: §19 of the Law No. 1264 on Trade Union Organizations, 1982; ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 (Greece Profile)

C : ITUC

ITUC Global Rights Index (country legal profile)

"According to Act 1264/1982, the right to strike of civil servants and employees of regional and local bodies and legal entities under public law is subject to restrictions. The strike of employees working under a private law contract in the public sector is also subject to restrictions in accordance with section 20 paragraph 2 and section 21 of the same Act. Judges do not have the right to strike. According to Law No. 1264/1982, services considered essential are defined as follows: legal entities or public services under public law whose operation is vital to meet the basic needs of society, including (a) the provision of health services, such as hospitals or other health institutions; (b) the purification and distribution of water; (c) the generation and distribution of electricity or fuel gas; (d) the production or refining of crude oil; (e) the transport of persons and goods by land, sea or air; (f) telecommunications and postal services, radio and television; (g) the sanitation of waste water; and (h) the loading, unloading and storage of imported goods in ports; (i) the Bank of Greece, civil aviation and all types of services or parts of services responsible for the settlement and payment of salaries of public sector staff in accordance with Article 51 of Law No. 1892/1990 on the public sector in Greece."

Information

Source: §14 of the Law No.1264 on Trade Union Organizations, 1982