Greece Approves Disputed Workplace Legislation Allowing Extended Workdays in Specific Circumstances

Government Building

The Greek legislature has approved a disputed work legislation that permits extended-length working days, despite strong opposition and nationwide protests.

Government officials stated the measure will modernize the country's labor regulations, but opposition figures from the left-wing party described it as a "regulatory disaster."

Key Provisions of the New Work Legislation

Under the freshly approved law, yearly overtime is capped at 150 hours, while the regular 40-hour week continues as before.

Officials insists that the longer shift is voluntary, only affects the private sector, and can exclusively be implemented for up to 37 days annually.

Political Support and Opposition

The recent ballot was supported by MPs from the ruling centre-right party, with the moderate party – currently the primary resistance – rejecting the bill, while the left-wing party abstained.

Labor unions have staged two general strikes demanding the bill's withdrawal this month that brought transportation and services to a stop.

Government Justification and Worker Protections

A senior official supported the bill, stating the changes align Greek legislation with current labor-market realities, and alleged critics of misleading the citizens.

These regulations will give workers the option to accept extra work with the same employer for increased pay, while guaranteeing they will not be fired for refusing extra hours.

The measure complies with EU labor rules, which cap the mean workweek to forty-eight hours counting extra hours but permit adjustments over a year, as stated by the administration.

Critical Viewpoints and Labor Reactions

However, opposition parties have accused the administration of eroding employee protections and "pushing the nation back to a medieval work era." They argue Greek employees already work longer hours than the majority of EU citizens while receiving lower pay and still "struggle to make ends meet."

The public-sector union stated variable shifts in practice mean "the abolition of the eight-hour day, the destruction of family and social life and the legalisation of over-exploitation."

Previous Labor Reforms and Economic Background

In 2024, the country enacted a six-day working week for certain industries in a bid to stimulate the economy.

Recent laws, which came into effect at the start of the summer, permit workers to work up to 48 hours in a week as opposed to 40.

EU Labor Data and Greek Financial Indicators

• Across the European Union in 2024, the highest working weeks were observed in Greece (39.8 hours), followed by Bulgaria (39.0), Poland (38.9) and Romania.
• The shortest working week in the union is in the Netherlands, as per EU statistics.
• As of this year, Greece's national minimum wage stood at nine hundred sixty-eight euros a month, ranking it in the bottom group among EU countries.
• Joblessness, which had peaked at 28% during the financial crisis, was 8.1% in August compared with an EU average of five point nine percent, figures from Eurostat show.
• Greece is recovering since its prolonged debt crisis, which ended in recent years, but salaries and living standards remain among the poorest in the EU.