Strike law and family benefit changes are on the way

The Labor Ministry is juggling two hot potatoes ahead of the completion of the third bailout review: the change to the process for calling a strike at unions on a company level and the restructuring of the criteria for family allowances.

The target is for all prior actions to be competed by the January 22 Eurogroup meeting, with the government planning to table in Parliament a multi-bill next week that will include all the relevant clauses for the strikes and the family benefits.

Both clauses are certain to generate strong opposition, with unions and the Greek Communist Party being particularly vocal against the strike amendment, and the benefits changes prompting public protests.

The bill will also include a clause agreed with the country's creditors that provides for workers in companies that go bankrupt to take precedence in the list of creditors over the state...