Migration Point EKA counsels migrant workers in Greece

The Centre of Athens Labor Unions (EKA) is a regional trade union organisation in Greece, member of European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). Among its activities, it also runs the Migrant Point EKA initiative, which supports migrants, and particularly workers. The mission of the Office is to assure the integration of the migrants and refugees in the Greek labour market.

Migrant Point EKA provides a supportive network for all who may have suffered discrimination at the work place, and supports them in accessing their full labor and social rights.

Among the services provided by the centre are:

• integration workshops to enhance refugees’ understanding of labour rights and obligations, and facilitate their equal access to the labour market
• integration training for access to the labour market covering basic labour and social rights of women
• counselling sessions in Farsi, French and Arabic
• entrepreneurship for women asylum seekers from Afghanistan wanting to open their own business in Greece
• support in the process of obtaining documents and integration
• support in liaising (in person or over the phone) with various institutions, services, employers, relevant unions, labor inspectors, NGOs, migrant organisations, institutions, etc. 
• reference for legal, health, education issues, etc.

Migrant Point EKA participates also in the Network of Information Services and Counseling of Workers and Unemployed, an initiative of the GSEE Institute of Labor. The purpose of the network is to provide reliable information and support to Greek and migrant workers on labor relations, insurance, as well as on employment and training opportunities.

A main aspect of the Migrant Point EKA programme is the collection of data related to issues faced by migrants and reporting this to the state, with the aim to ultimately better policies and improve the quality of life and work for migrants in Greece.

The office of Migrant Point EKA is open from Monday to Friday, but for those who cannot make it during working hours, additional information meetings on issues proposed by migrants are organised on Sundays in different languages.