Heraklion: Complaints about digital work card

Daily complaints about violations of the digital work card in Heraklion hotels are described by the president of the Hotel Employees Union, Nikos Kolokakis, during a period when occupancy rates exceed 90 percent and in several units reach 100 percent. Complaints concern both the way working time is recorded and the granting of the required rest days.

According to what is reported to the union, in some units the cards are kept at the reception and the recording is done by a third party, without the employee having control of their own time. In other cases, employees appear in the Ergani system on rest days, while on the same day they are called to work, with the result that actual employment is not recorded anywhere.

The collective agreement provides for eight rest days per month. There is the possibility of granting only four, with the remaining days being compensated with a 20 percent increase, while Sundays and holidays are compensated with a 75 percent increase. The basic wage is set at 1,010 euros for the lowest category and 1,071 euros for the higher category, amounts that form the basis for calculating increases.

Inspection of implementation falls to the Labor Inspectorate, which, according to the union, is understaffed at the local level. The digital card was designed precisely to record in real time the start and end of the shift, reducing the margin for undeclared overtime work. Its effectiveness, however, depends on the frequency and depth of on-site inspections.