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Government Building

The Greek legislature has approved a disputed work legislation that enables extended-length work shifts, in the face of widespread opposition and countrywide protests.

Government officials asserted the law will update Greek work laws, but opposition figures from the left-wing faction labeled it as a "regulatory disaster."

Key Provisions of the New Work Legislation

Under the freshly approved law, annual overtime is also at one hundred and fifty hours, while the standard forty-hour week remains in place.

The government maintains that the extended workday is optional, solely applies to the business sector, and can only be applied for up to 37 days annually.

Political Support and Opposition

Thursday's vote was backed by lawmakers from the ruling centre-right political group, with the centre-left party – currently the main opposition – voting against the legislation, while the left-wing party abstained.

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

Official Justification and Worker Protections

A senior official supported the bill, saying the changes align Greek legislation with modern employment realities, and alleged opposition leaders of misleading the public.

The laws will provide employees the choice to take on additional hours with the current company for increased pay, while guaranteeing they will not be dismissed for declining overtime.

This complies with EU labor regulations, which limit the mean workweek to 48 hours counting extra hours but permit adjustments over a year, as stated by the government.

Opposition Perspectives and Labor Responses

However, opposition parties have charged the administration of eroding workers' rights and "driving the nation back to a medieval work era." They argue local workers currently work longer hours than most EU citizens while earning less and still "struggle to make ends meet."

A major labor organization stated variable shifts in reality mean "the end of the standard workday, the disruption of family and social life and the authorization of excessive labor."

Recent Labor Reforms and Financial Context

In 2024, Greece introduced a six-day work schedule for certain industries in a bid to boost the economy.

New laws, which came into effect at the start of July, allow workers to labor up to forty-eight hours in a workweek as opposed to 40.

EU Labor Statistics and Greek Financial Metrics

• Throughout the EU in 2024, the longest working weeks were recorded in the Hellenic Republic, followed by Bulgaria, Poland (38.9) and Romania.
• The shortest working week in the union is in the Netherlands, according to EU statistics.
• As of this year, the nation's national minimum wage stood at €968 a month, placing it in the lower tier among European nations.
• Joblessness, which had reached a high at 28% during the financial crisis, was 8.1% in August versus an EU average of five point nine percent, figures from the statistical office indicate.
• The country is recovering since its prolonged financial troubles, which ended in 2018, but wages and quality of life continue to be among the lowest in the European Union.