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Government Building

The Greek parliament has given the green light a disputed work legislation that enables 13-hour work shifts, in the face of strong resistance and countrywide strike actions.

Government officials stated the law will revamp the country's work laws, but opposition figures from the left-wing party described it as a "legislative monstrosity."

Main Provisions of the Recently Passed Work Legislation

According to the newly enacted legislation, annual extra hours is limited at one hundred and fifty hours, while the standard forty-hour week stays unchanged.

Officials maintains that the longer workday is voluntary, solely applies to the business sector, and can exclusively be implemented for up to 37 days annually.

Parliamentary Backing and Resistance

Thursday's vote was backed by MPs from the ruling conservative political group, with the centre-left faction – now the main resistance – voting against the bill, while the progressive group did not vote.

Worker organizations have staged two general strikes calling for the law's repeal this month that halted transportation and public services to a standstill.

Government Justification and Worker Protections

The Labor Minister defended the bill, claiming the reforms bring in line national legislation with current employment conditions, and accused opposition leaders of misleading the citizens.

These regulations will give employees the choice to accept extra work with the same employer for increased compensation, while guaranteeing they cannot be dismissed for declining extra hours.

The measure complies with European Union labor regulations, which limit the mean workweek to forty-eight hours including overtime but permit flexibility over 12 months, according to the government.

Opposition Perspectives and Union Reactions

But, opposition parties have charged the government of weakening workers' rights and "driving the country back to a labor middle age." They argue local workers already work longer hours than the majority of Europeans while receiving lower pay 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 authorization of over-exploitation."

Previous Workplace Changes and Economic Background

In 2024, Greece introduced a six-day work schedule for specific sectors in a attempt to boost the economy.

Recent laws, which started at the start of July, allow workers to labor up to forty-eight hours in a week as instead of 40.

EU Work Data and National Financial Metrics

• Across the European Union in 2024, the highest working weeks were observed in the Hellenic Republic, followed by Bulgaria, Poland and Romania.
• The lowest work hours in the bloc is in the Netherlands, according to EU statistics.
• As of January 2025, Greece's national minimum wage stood at €968 a month, placing it in the lower tier among European nations.
• Unemployment, which had peaked at 28% during the financial crisis, was eight point one percent in the summer versus an EU average of 5.9%, data from Eurostat indicate.
• The country is recovering since its prolonged financial troubles, which concluded in recent years, but salaries and quality of life remain among the poorest in the European Union.