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Government Building

The Greek parliament has approved a contentious work legislation that enables 13-hour working days, in the face of widespread resistance and nationwide protests.

The administration asserted the measure will modernize Greek labor regulations, but critics from the progressive party described it as a "legislative monstrosity."

Key Elements of the Recently Passed Labor Law

Under the freshly approved law, annual overtime is capped at one hundred and fifty hours, while the standard forty-hour workweek continues as before.

Officials emphasizes that the longer workday is voluntary, only affects the private sector, and can exclusively be used for up to thirty-seven days each year.

Parliamentary Backing and Opposition

Thursday's vote was backed by MPs from the governing conservative party, with the moderate faction – now the main resistance – voting against the bill, while the left-wing party abstained.

Labor unions have organized multiple protests demanding the bill's withdrawal this month that halted public transport and services to a stop.

Official Justification and Employee Safeguards

The Labor Minister supported the legislation, claiming the reforms align Greek legislation with modern labor-market realities, and alleged critics of misinforming the citizens.

These regulations will give employees the choice to accept extra work with the current company for 40% higher pay, while ensuring they will not be dismissed for declining extra hours.

This follows European Union labor regulations, which cap the mean week to 48 hours including overtime but permit flexibility over a year, as stated by the administration.

Critical Viewpoints and Labor Responses

However, opposition parties have charged the administration of weakening employee protections and "pushing the nation back to a medieval work era." They argue local workers currently put in more time than the majority of EU citizens while earning less and still "struggle to make ends meet."

A major labor organization said variable shifts in practice mean "the end of the eight-hour day, the destruction of family and social life and the legalisation of excessive labor."

Previous Labor Reforms and Financial Context

Last year, the country enacted 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 July, allow employees to labor up to 48 hours in a workweek as instead of 40.

EU Work Data and Greek Financial Indicators

• Throughout the EU in 2024, the highest average hours were recorded in the Hellenic Republic, followed by Bulgaria (39.0), Poland and Romania (38.8).
• The shortest work hours in the union is in the Netherlands, as per EU statistics.
• As of this year, Greece's national minimum wage stood at €968 a month, ranking it in the bottom group among European nations.
• Joblessness, which had reached a high at 28% during the economic downturn, was eight point one percent in August compared with an EU average of 5.9%, figures from the statistical office show.
• Greece is improving since its prolonged financial troubles, which concluded in 2018, but wages and quality of life continue to be among the lowest in the EU.