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Government Building

The Greek parliament has given the green light a contentious work legislation that enables 13-hour work shifts, in the face of fierce opposition and countrywide protests.

Government officials stated the law will revamp Greek work laws, but critics from the left-wing party described it as a "harmful law."

Main Provisions of the New Labor Law

Under the newly enacted legislation, annual overtime is also at 150 hours, while the regular 40-hour workweek stays unchanged.

The government maintains that the extended shift is voluntary, solely applies to the private sector, and can only be implemented for up to thirty-seven days annually.

Political Support and Opposition

The recent vote was supported by MPs from the ruling conservative political group, with the moderate party – now the main opposition – voting against the bill, while the progressive party abstained.

Labor unions have organized multiple protests demanding the law's repeal recently that brought public transport and public services to a stop.

Official Defense and Worker Safeguards

The Labor Minister supported the bill, stating the reforms bring in line Greek legislation with modern labor-market conditions, and accused opposition leaders of misinforming the public.

The laws will give employees the option to accept additional hours with the same employer for increased compensation, while ensuring they will not be fired for refusing extra hours.

This complies with EU labor regulations, which limit the average week to forty-eight hours including extra hours but permit flexibility over a year, as stated by the administration.

Opposition Viewpoints and Union Responses

But, critics have charged the administration of weakening employee protections and "pushing the nation back to a labor middle age." They argue Greek employees already work longer hours than most Europeans while receiving lower pay and still "face financial difficulties."

The public-sector union stated flexible working hours in practice mean "the abolition of the eight-hour day, the disruption of family and social life and the authorization of over-exploitation."

Recent Workplace Changes and Economic Background

Last year, the country introduced a six-day work schedule for certain sectors in a bid to stimulate the economy.

Recent legislation, which started at the beginning of July, permit workers to labor up to forty-eight hours in a week as opposed to forty.

EU Work Statistics and National Financial Indicators

• Across the European Union in 2024, the highest working weeks were recorded in the Hellenic Republic, followed by Bulgaria (39.0), Poland (38.9) and Romania.
• The lowest working week in the union is in the Netherlands (32.1), as per EU statistics.
• Starting January 2025, the nation's official base pay was €968 a month, placing it in the bottom group among EU countries.
• Joblessness, which had peaked at twenty-eight percent during the financial crisis, was eight point one percent in the summer versus an European mean of 5.9%, data from the statistical office show.
• Greece is improving since its prolonged financial troubles, which concluded in 2018, but salaries and living standards remain among the poorest in the European Union.