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Government Building

Greece's parliament has given the green light a hotly debated work legislation that enables extended-length working days, in the face of widespread resistance and countrywide protests.

Government officials stated the law will modernize Greek work laws, but opposition figures from the progressive faction labeled it as a "legislative monstrosity."

Key Provisions of the New Work Legislation

Under the newly enacted law, yearly overtime is capped at one hundred and fifty hours, while the regular 40-hour workweek remains in place.

The government insists that the extended shift is voluntary, solely applies to the business sector, and can only be implemented for up to 37 days annually.

Political Support and Resistance

The recent ballot was supported by MPs from the ruling centre-right party, with the moderate party – now the main resistance – voting against the legislation, while the left-wing group did not vote.

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

Government Justification and Employee Safeguards

A senior official supported the legislation, saying the changes bring in line Greek laws with current employment conditions, and alleged critics of misinforming the citizens.

These regulations will provide workers the choice to accept additional hours with the current company for 40% higher compensation, while guaranteeing they cannot be dismissed for refusing extra hours.

This complies with EU working-time regulations, which cap the average workweek to forty-eight hours including extra hours but allow adjustments over 12 months, as stated by the government.

Critical Viewpoints and Labor Reactions

However, opposition parties have charged the administration of eroding workers' rights and "driving the country back to a medieval work era." They argue Greek workers currently work longer hours than most Europeans while earning less and still "face financial difficulties."

The public-sector union stated flexible working hours in reality mean "the abolition of the eight-hour day, the destruction of personal time and the legalisation of excessive labor."

Previous Workplace Changes and Financial Background

In 2024, the country enacted a six-day work schedule for specific sectors in a bid to stimulate the economy.

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

European Labor Statistics and Greek Financial Indicators

• Across the EU in the previous year, the highest average hours were observed in the Hellenic Republic, followed by Bulgaria, Poland and Romania.
• The shortest work hours in the union is in the Netherlands, according to EU statistics.
• Starting this year, Greece's official minimum wage stood at €968 a month, ranking it in the lower tier among European nations.
• Joblessness, which had reached a high at twenty-eight percent during the economic downturn, was eight point one percent in August compared with an EU average of five point nine percent, data from the statistical office indicate.
• Greece is recovering since its decade-long financial troubles, which ended in 2018, but wages and living standards continue to be among the lowest in the EU.