The Greek Parliament Passes Disputed Workplace Legislation Permitting 13-Hour Working Days in Certain Cases

Government Building

Greece's legislature has ratified a contentious work legislation that permits extended-length working days, in the face of strong opposition and nationwide strike actions.

The administration stated the measure will update the country's work laws, but opposition figures from the progressive party labeled it as a "legislative monstrosity."

Main Elements of the New Labor Law

Under the freshly approved law, annual overtime is capped at one hundred and fifty hours, while the regular forty-hour week continues as before.

Officials maintains that the extended workday is optional, solely applies to the private sector, and can exclusively be applied for up to 37 days annually.

Political Backing and Resistance

Thursday's ballot was supported by MPs from the ruling conservative political group, with the centre-left party – now the main opposition – voting against the legislation, while the progressive group abstained.

Labor unions have staged two general strikes demanding the law's repeal this month that brought transportation and public services to a standstill.

Government Defense and Worker Safeguards

The Labor Minister defended the bill, saying the changes bring in line Greek legislation with current employment realities, and accused opposition leaders of misleading the public.

The laws will provide workers the choice to take on extra work with the same employer for 40% higher pay, while guaranteeing they cannot be dismissed for refusing overtime.

This follows EU labor rules, which limit the mean workweek to 48 hours counting extra hours but permit flexibility over 12 months, as stated by the administration.

Opposition Viewpoints and Labor Reactions

But, opposition parties have accused the government of eroding workers' rights and "driving the country back to a medieval work era." They argue Greek employees currently work longer hours than the majority of Europeans while earning less and still "struggle to make ends meet."

The public-sector union said variable shifts in practice mean "the abolition of the eight-hour day, the destruction of personal time and the legalisation of over-exploitation."

Previous Workplace Changes and Economic Context

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

New laws, which came into effect at the beginning of July, allow employees to work up to 48 hours in a workweek as opposed to forty.

European Work Data and National Financial Indicators

• Across the European Union in 2024, the highest average hours were recorded in the Hellenic Republic, followed by Bulgaria (39.0), Poland and Romania (38.8).
• The lowest work hours in the bloc is in the Netherlands, as per EU statistics.
• Starting January 2025, Greece's national minimum wage stood at €968 a month, placing it in the bottom group among European nations.
• Joblessness, which had reached a high at 28% during the economic downturn, was 8.1% in the summer versus an European mean of five point nine percent, figures from Eurostat indicate.
• The country is improving since its prolonged debt crisis, which ended in 2018, but wages and quality of life continue to be among the lowest in the European Union.