ATHENS — Tobacco company workers and the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) signed a two-year collective work agreement on Thursday, with a 1 percent increase in wages as of January 1, 2021.

The agreement between SEV and the Federation of Greek Tobacco Industry Employees covers all tobacco industries in the country and also provides for new specializations, based on the sector's needs, as well as a working group on updating skills of current employees.

Executive Committee President Efthymios Vidalis said that SEV, "responding to its institutional role, signed the tobacco industry collective work agreement which covers the needs of business members. Our aim is the productive operation of businesses in every sector, the maintenance and boosting of productive and viable job positions, and the guarantee of labor peace and prosperity of workers."

The sector employs over 2,500 people, while the National Statistical Service has estimated that the industrial production index of the sector registered an 11.5 pct growth in 2020 over 2019.