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Government Building

The Greek parliament has approved a disputed labor reform that enables extended-length work shifts, despite widespread opposition and countrywide strike actions.

Government officials stated the law will modernize the country's work laws, but critics from the left-wing faction labeled it as a "harmful law."

Main Elements of the Recently Passed Work Legislation

Under the newly enacted legislation, annual overtime is also at one hundred and fifty hours, while the regular 40-hour workweek remains in place.

The government maintains that the longer workday is optional, only affects the private sector, and can exclusively be implemented for up to 37 days each year.

Political Backing and Opposition

The recent vote was supported by MPs from the governing conservative political group, with the centre-left faction – currently the primary opposition – voting against the legislation, while the left-wing party did not vote.

Worker organizations have organized two general strikes demanding the law's repeal recently that halted transportation and services to a standstill.

Government Defense and Employee Safeguards

A senior official defended the legislation, stating the changes align national legislation with modern employment realities, and accused critics of misleading the public.

These regulations will provide employees the option to accept extra work with the same employer for 40% higher compensation, while guaranteeing they cannot be fired for declining extra hours.

This complies with European Union labor regulations, which cap the average week to forty-eight hours counting extra hours but allow flexibility over 12 months, as stated by the government.

Critical Perspectives and Labor Reactions

However, opposition parties have charged the government of weakening employee protections and "pushing the country back to a labor middle age." They argue Greek workers currently put in more time than most Europeans while earning less and still "struggle to make ends meet."

A major labor organization stated flexible working hours in reality mean "the abolition of the standard workday, the disruption of family and social life and the legalisation of excessive labor."

Previous Labor Reforms and Economic Context

Last year, the country enacted a six-day work schedule for specific industries in a bid to stimulate the economy.

New laws, which started at the beginning of the summer, allow workers to labor up to forty-eight hours in a workweek as instead of 40.

EU Labor Statistics and Greek Financial Metrics

• Across the European Union in 2024, the longest average hours were recorded in Greece (39.8 hours), followed by Bulgaria, Poland and Romania (38.8).
• The lowest work hours in the union is in the Netherlands (32.1), according to EU statistics.
• Starting this year, Greece's national minimum wage was €968 a month, ranking it in the lower tier among EU countries.
• Unemployment, which had peaked at 28% during the economic downturn, was 8.1% in August compared with an European mean of 5.9%, data from the statistical office indicate.
• The country is recovering since its prolonged debt crisis, which concluded in recent years, but wages and quality of life remain among the lowest in the EU.