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Government Building

Greece's parliament has given the green light a disputed work legislation that enables 13-hour work shifts, despite strong opposition and nationwide strike actions.

The administration asserted the measure will revamp Greek labor regulations, but critics from the progressive faction labeled it as a "legislative monstrosity."

Key Elements of the New Labor Law

According to the newly enacted law, yearly overtime is also at one hundred and fifty hours, while the regular 40-hour week remains in place.

Officials emphasizes that the longer workday is voluntary, only applies to the private sector, and can exclusively be implemented for up to 37 days annually.

Political Support and Resistance

Thursday's vote was backed by lawmakers from the ruling centre-right political group, with the moderate party – currently the main opposition – voting against the bill, while the left-wing group did not vote.

Worker organizations have staged two general strikes demanding the law's repeal this month that halted transportation and services to a stop.

Government Defense and Worker Protections

A senior official supported the bill, stating the reforms bring in line Greek legislation with modern employment conditions, and alleged critics of misinforming the public.

The laws will give employees the choice to accept additional hours with the current company for 40% higher pay, while guaranteeing they cannot be fired for declining overtime.

This complies with EU working-time regulations, which limit the mean workweek to 48 hours counting overtime but allow flexibility over 12 months, according to the administration.

Opposition Viewpoints and Labor Reactions

But, opposition parties have accused the administration of weakening workers' rights and "driving the country back to a medieval work era." They say Greek employees currently put in more time than most EU citizens while earning less and still "struggle to make ends meet."

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

Previous Labor Changes and Financial Context

In 2024, the country introduced a six-day working week for specific industries in a bid to stimulate economic growth.

Recent laws, which came into effect at the start of the summer, permit employees to labor up to 48 hours in a week as opposed to forty.

EU Work Data and Greek Economic Indicators

• Throughout the European Union in the previous year, the highest average hours were observed in the Hellenic Republic, followed by Bulgaria, Poland and Romania.
• The lowest work hours in the union is in the Netherlands, according to EU statistics.
• Starting January 2025, the nation's official minimum wage was nine hundred sixty-eight euros a month, ranking it in the bottom group among EU countries.
• Joblessness, which had peaked at twenty-eight percent during the economic downturn, was eight point one percent in the summer compared with an European mean of 5.9%, data from the statistical office indicate.
• The country is recovering since its prolonged financial troubles, which concluded in 2018, but salaries and living standards remain among the poorest in the EU.