Claim of 80 Unpaid Workers at Private Daycares on the Agenda in the Yunanistan Parliament

With a parliamentary question submitted to the Yunanistan parliament, it has been claimed that approximately 80 workers at a private childhood creative activity center (KDAP) in the Batı Ahaia region have not received their salaries for four months. Submitted by SYRIZA-PS Members of Parliament Andreas Panagiotopoulos and Katerina Notopoulou to the Ministries of Labor and Social Security, Interior, and Family and Socioeconomic Integration, the question demands an urgent investigation into the matter. The lawmakers emphasize that the rights of the employees must be protected and the conditions under which private institutions operate must be fully clarified. The fact that these institutions are financed by both public and European Union funds makes the accountability aspect of the issue even more significant. This development highlights the growing concerns in Yunanistan regarding workers' rights in state-supported private education and care services.

According to the claims, the employer of the private Daycare/KDAP in question attributes the reason for the salary delays to the untimely allocation of vouchers (service vouchers) distributed by EEETA (Local Government Employment Institute). However, according to the workers' claims, these institutions have already received their allocated public funds in full. Furthermore, it is reported that workers in other branches belonging to the same business group have gone on strike due to unpaid wages. This situation brings about suspicions of whether the funds received by the institution's management were misappropriated or whether the workers' rights were intentionally usurped. This contradiction, brought to the agenda by the Ahaia Private Education Workers' Association, has led to the questioning of transparency in fund distribution processes.

In their question, the lawmakers explicitly state that even if there is a delay in EEETA payments, this cannot constitute a legitimate excuse for non-payment of workers' wages. Yunan labor legislation is quite clear, and tying the acquired rights of workers to the flow rate of state funds is absolutely against the law. The protection of workers' rights is recognized as the minimum and non-negotiable obligation of the state. In addition, absolute transparency, a strict audit mechanism, and the full implementation of rules are of great importance in the use of EU and national resources. The transfer of public resources to private institutions must be conditional upon these institutions acting in compliance with laws and ethical rules.

The SYRIZA lawmakers are asking the government whether any inspections have been carried out regarding the companies in question and whether any violations have been detected. They also question the average payment time for EEETA vouchers over the last three years and the extent of possible delays in this process. The government is expected to provide an overall picture of the inspections carried out in all private KDAP and KDAP-MEA institutions for disabled individuals that benefit from grants. The lawmakers request detailed data on what sanctions are applied in cases where labor and insurance legislation is violated or public resources are misused. These demands demonstrate that the labor of those working in these fields must be secured, just as much as the safety and quality of care for children.

This system, established in Yunanistan to support children's access to preschool education and creative activities, is financed by the European Social Fund (ESF+) and national public resources. However, complaints occasionally arise that small organizations experience cash flow problems due to payment delays, and that workers are employed under precarious conditions. The smooth operation of such state-supported structures is essential both for the welfare of children and for families' participation in employment. Therefore, it is a public necessity that every step, from the financial management of the accepted organizations to workers' rights, be strictly monitored. This parliamentary question brought to the agenda in Atina stands out as an important political step taken towards establishing a fair, transparent, and auditable childcare infrastructure that is in line with social state principles.