🔗 Share this article The Greek Parliament Enacts Controversial Workplace Law Authorizing Extended Working Days in Specific Situations Government Building Greece's legislature has ratified a contentious labor reform that permits 13-hour work shifts, in the face of strong opposition and countrywide protests. Government officials stated the law will modernize Greek work laws, but critics from the left-wing party described it as a "legislative monstrosity." Main Elements of the Recently Passed Work Legislation Under the newly enacted legislation, annual extra hours is also at 150 hours, while the regular 40-hour week continues as before. The government maintains that the longer workday is elective, solely applies to the private sector, and can only be used for up to 37 days each year. Political Support and Opposition The recent vote was supported by lawmakers from the governing conservative political group, with the centre-left faction – now the main resistance – voting against the legislation, while the progressive party abstained. Labor unions have organized two general strikes calling for the bill's withdrawal this month that brought public transport and services to a standstill. Government Defense and Worker Protections The Labor Minister supported the bill, stating the changes bring in line Greek legislation with modern labor-market realities, and accused critics of misinforming the public. The laws will give employees the choice to take on additional hours with the current company for 40% higher pay, while ensuring they will not be fired for declining extra hours. This follows European Union labor regulations, which cap the mean week to forty-eight hours including overtime but permit flexibility over 12 months, according to the administration. Critical Viewpoints and Union Responses However, opposition parties have accused the administration of weakening employee protections and "driving the country back to a medieval work era." They argue local employees currently work longer hours than most Europeans while earning less and still "struggle to make ends meet." A major labor organization said flexible working hours in practice mean "the abolition of the standard workday, the destruction of personal time and the authorization of excessive labor." Recent Workplace Reforms and Economic Context In 2024, the country introduced a six-day working week for certain industries in a attempt to stimulate economic growth. New laws, which came into effect at the beginning of the summer, allow workers to work up to 48 hours in a workweek as opposed to 40. EU Work Statistics and National Economic Indicators Throughout the EU in the previous year, the highest average hours were observed in Greece (39.8 hours), then Bulgaria (39.0), Poland (38.9) and Romania. The lowest work hours in the union is in the Netherlands, as per Eurostat. Starting January 2025, the nation's official base pay stood at €968 a month, placing it in the lower tier among European nations. Unemployment, which had peaked at twenty-eight percent during the financial crisis, was eight point one percent in the summer compared with an European mean of five point nine percent, figures from the statistical office indicate. The country is recovering since its prolonged financial troubles, which ended in 2018, but wages and living standards remain among the poorest in the European Union.