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Government Building

Greece's parliament has approved a disputed work legislation that authorizes 13-hour working days, despite fierce resistance and nationwide protests.

Government officials stated the measure will revamp Greek labor regulations, but critics from the left-wing party described it as a "legislative monstrosity."

Main Provisions of the Recently Passed Labor Law

Under the newly enacted law, yearly overtime is also at one hundred and fifty hours, while the regular forty-hour workweek continues as before.

The government emphasizes that the extended shift is voluntary, only affects the private sector, and can only be implemented for up to thirty-seven days each year.

Parliamentary Backing and Opposition

Thursday's vote was backed by MPs from the ruling conservative political group, with the moderate party – now the primary opposition – rejecting the legislation, while the progressive party abstained.

Labor unions have organized two general strikes demanding the law's repeal recently that brought transportation and services to a standstill.

Official Justification and Employee Safeguards

The Labor Minister defended the bill, claiming the reforms bring in line Greek laws with modern labor-market conditions, and alleged opposition leaders of misleading the citizens.

The laws will give employees the choice to accept extra work with the same employer for increased pay, while ensuring they will not be fired for refusing overtime.

This follows European Union working-time regulations, which limit the mean workweek to forty-eight hours including extra hours but permit flexibility over a year, as stated by the government.

Opposition Perspectives and Labor Responses

But, opposition parties have charged the administration of eroding workers' rights 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."

The public-sector union said flexible working hours in practice mean "the abolition of the eight-hour day, the disruption of family and social life and the legalisation of excessive labor."

Previous Labor Reforms and Economic Background

In 2024, the country enacted a six-day working week for certain industries in a attempt to stimulate the economy.

Recent laws, which came into effect at the start of the summer, allow workers to work up to 48 hours in a week as opposed to forty.

European Labor Statistics and Greek Financial Metrics

• Across the European Union in 2024, the highest working weeks were observed in Greece (39.8 hours), followed by Bulgaria (39.0), Poland and Romania (38.8).
• The lowest working week in the bloc is in the Netherlands, according to EU statistics.
• As of January 2025, the nation's national minimum wage was €968 a month, placing it in the bottom group among EU countries.
• Joblessness, which had reached a high at 28% during the financial crisis, was eight point one percent in the summer compared with an EU average of 5.9%, figures from the statistical office indicate.
• The country is recovering since its decade-long debt crisis, which concluded in 2018, but wages and quality of life continue to be among the poorest in the EU.