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Government Building

The Greek legislature has ratified a disputed work legislation that permits 13-hour work shifts, in the face of fierce opposition and nationwide protests.

Government officials stated the law will modernize the country's labor regulations, but critics from the progressive party labeled it as a "regulatory disaster."

Key Provisions of the Recently Passed Work Legislation

Under the newly enacted legislation, annual extra hours is capped at 150 hours, while the standard 40-hour workweek remains in place.

The government maintains that the extended workday is voluntary, only affects the business sector, and can only be used for up to 37 days annually.

Political Backing and Opposition

The recent ballot was supported by MPs from the ruling centre-right party, with the centre-left faction – currently the main resistance – rejecting the bill, while the left-wing group did not vote.

Labor unions have organized multiple protests calling for the bill's withdrawal this month that brought public transport and public services to a standstill.

Government Justification and Worker Protections

The Labor Minister defended the bill, stating the reforms align Greek legislation with modern labor-market realities, and accused opposition leaders of misleading the citizens.

The laws will provide workers the option to accept additional hours with the same employer for increased compensation, while guaranteeing they cannot be fired for refusing extra hours.

This complies with EU labor regulations, which cap the average week to 48 hours including extra hours but permit adjustments over a year, as stated by the administration.

Critical Perspectives and Union Reactions

However, opposition parties have accused the administration of weakening employee protections and "pushing the nation back to a medieval work era." They say local employees already put in more time than most EU citizens while earning less and still "face financial difficulties."

The public-sector union said variable shifts in reality mean "the abolition of the standard workday, the disruption of family and social life and the authorization of excessive labor."

Previous Workplace Reforms and Financial Background

In 2024, Greece introduced a six-day working week for specific industries in a bid to boost the economy.

Recent legislation, which started at the start of the summer, allow employees to work up to forty-eight hours in a week as opposed to 40.

European Work Statistics and Greek Financial Indicators

• Throughout the EU in 2024, the highest average hours were observed in the Hellenic Republic, followed by Bulgaria, Poland (38.9) and Romania (38.8).
• The lowest work hours in the bloc is in the Netherlands (32.1), according to Eurostat.
• Starting this year, the nation's national base pay stood at nine hundred sixty-eight euros a month, ranking it in the lower tier among European nations.
• Unemployment, which had peaked at 28% during the financial crisis, was 8.1% in the summer compared with an EU average of five point nine percent, data from Eurostat show.
• The country is recovering since its decade-long financial troubles, which concluded in 2018, but wages and living standards continue to be among the lowest in the European Union.