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Government Building

Greece's parliament has ratified a contentious work legislation that authorizes 13-hour work shifts, in the face of strong resistance and countrywide protests.

The administration asserted the law will update the country's work laws, but critics from the left-wing party described it as a "legislative monstrosity."

Key Elements of the Recently Passed Labor Law

According to the newly enacted legislation, yearly extra hours is also at 150 hours, while the standard 40-hour week remains in place.

Officials maintains that the longer workday is elective, solely applies to the private sector, and can only be applied for up to 37 days annually.

Political Support and Opposition

The recent ballot was supported by lawmakers from the ruling conservative party, with the moderate faction – currently the primary resistance – voting against the legislation, while the progressive party abstained.

Worker organizations have organized two general strikes demanding the law's repeal this month that brought public transport and public services to a standstill.

Official Defense and Worker Protections

A senior official defended the bill, saying the reforms align Greek legislation with modern employment realities, and accused critics of misinforming the citizens.

These regulations will provide employees the choice to accept extra work with the same employer for 40% higher compensation, while guaranteeing they will not be dismissed for refusing extra hours.

The measure complies with EU labor rules, which cap the average workweek to forty-eight hours including extra hours but permit flexibility over 12 months, as stated by the administration.

Opposition Viewpoints and Labor Responses

However, opposition parties have accused the government of weakening workers' rights and "pushing the nation back to a labor middle age." They argue local employees currently work longer hours than most Europeans while receiving lower pay and still "struggle to make ends meet."

A major labor organization stated variable shifts in practice mean "the end of the standard workday, the disruption of family and social life and the authorization of over-exploitation."

Recent Workplace Changes and Economic Background

In 2024, the country introduced a six-day work schedule for specific industries in a bid to boost economic growth.

Recent laws, which came into effect at the start of the summer, permit workers to labor up to 48 hours in a workweek as instead of forty.

European Labor Data and Greek Financial Indicators

• Throughout the European Union in the previous year, the highest average hours were recorded in Greece (39.8 hours), then Bulgaria (39.0), Poland (38.9) and Romania (38.8).
• The shortest work hours in the union is in the Netherlands, according to Eurostat.
• As of January 2025, the nation's official minimum wage stood at €968 a month, ranking it in the lower tier among European nations.
• Joblessness, which had peaked at 28% during the economic downturn, was 8.1% in the summer compared with an EU average of five point nine percent, data from the statistical office indicate.
• Greece is recovering since its decade-long financial troubles, which concluded in recent years, but salaries and living standards continue to be among the lowest in the EU.