Council of State rejects reinstatement of 13th and 14th month salaries for Greek public employees

The Council of State (StE) has issued a final ruling rejecting the reinstatement of the 13th and 14th month salaries for Greek public sector employees. This decision effectively closes the possibility of recovering holiday bonuses and leave allowances through judicial channels.

The court ruled that such salary enhancements are matters of fiscal policy and legislative discretion rather than judicial mandate. The ruling noted that current salary increases for civil servants are sufficient within the existing legal framework and that comparing public sector pay to the private sector is inappropriate due to different regulatory regimes.

In response, various groups have expressed strong opposition. The Union of Retired Teachers of Thessaloniki (ESETH) criticized the decision, arguing that the removal of these benefits during the financial crisis constituted a loss of wealth for workers. Meanwhile, political representatives have called for public sector workers to voice their demands through demonstrations at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) rather than the courts, stating that any future reinstatement of these bonuses would require new legislative action by the government.