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Government Building

The Greek legislature has approved a disputed labor reform that authorizes 13-hour work shifts, despite widespread resistance and countrywide protests.

The administration asserted the law will revamp the country's labor regulations, but opposition figures from the left-wing party described it as a "legislative monstrosity."

Key Provisions of the New Labor Law

Under the newly enacted law, annual extra hours is also at 150 hours, while the standard forty-hour week continues as before.

The government maintains that the extended workday is voluntary, solely affects the private sector, and can only be used for up to thirty-seven days each year.

Parliamentary Support and Opposition

The recent ballot was supported by MPs from the ruling conservative party, with the moderate faction – currently the main opposition – rejecting the bill, while the progressive group did not vote.

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

Official Defense and Employee Safeguards

A senior official supported the bill, saying the changes align Greek laws with modern labor-market conditions, and alleged opposition leaders of misleading the public.

These regulations will provide employees the option to accept additional hours with the same employer for 40% higher pay, while guaranteeing they will not be fired for refusing overtime.

This complies with European Union labor regulations, which cap the mean week to forty-eight hours including overtime but permit adjustments over 12 months, according to the government.

Critical Viewpoints and Union Reactions

However, critics have accused the government of weakening employee protections and "driving the country back to a labor middle age." They say Greek workers already work longer hours than most Europeans while receiving lower pay and still "face financial difficulties."

A major labor organization stated variable shifts in reality mean "the end of the eight-hour day, the destruction of personal time and the authorization of excessive labor."

Recent Workplace Reforms and Economic Context

Last year, the country introduced a six-day working week for certain industries in a attempt to stimulate the economy.

New laws, which came into effect at the start of July, permit workers to labor up to 48 hours in a workweek as instead of forty.

EU Labor Statistics and Greek Financial Indicators

• Throughout the European Union in the previous year, the highest working weeks were recorded in the Hellenic Republic, followed by Bulgaria (39.0), Poland and Romania (38.8).
• The shortest working week in the bloc is in the Netherlands (32.1), as per Eurostat.
• As of January 2025, the nation's official minimum wage was €968 a month, placing it in the bottom group among European nations.
• Unemployment, which had reached a high at 28% during the economic downturn, was 8.1% in August versus an EU average of 5.9%, figures from the statistical office indicate.
• Greece is recovering since its prolonged financial troubles, which concluded in recent years, but salaries and living standards continue to be among the lowest in the EU.