Say NO to labor exploitation

Say NO to labor exploitation

By Maria Taxtatzoglou

Economic crisis is a phenomenon that has been beating Greece for years and is one of the main reasons for the violation of worker’s rights. Unpaid overtimes, working without being given the necessary medical credentials and the decrease in the permitted “days-off” are the most common phenomena of this situation.

"Individual arrangements" are signed from employees in order to preserve their job, since their employers or managers, under the threat of firing, they menace them. Women and men give up their precious time with their families or friends so that they can manage to maintain a decent life.

Unfulfilled, though, is time with relatives and people of the close social circle. Mothers lose important moments with their children, by working overtime, in order to provide them a carefree life. An important question is now introduced. Is the sacrifice of personal moments for money worth it, in the end?

Employees are required to be aware of the jeopardies hidden in the "individual arrangements" that they sign, in order to be able to avoid unpleasant outcomes. The main ones are being given less medical credentials or losing the overtime payment. This means that they have a lot of time in their hands, without having any particular goals, resulting in mockery by the ones who are superior.

For the labor rights to be retrieved back, the only solution is insurrection for the mobilization not only of workers who are facing similar situations but of everyone separately. Human rights are something that should be taken into consideration and not trampled on. If everyone is not going to claim their rights, who is going to do it for them?