🔗 Share this article Greece Approves Disputed Labor Legislation Authorizing Longer Workdays in Specific Situations Government Building Greece's parliament has given the green light a contentious work legislation that permits extended-length work shifts, in the face of strong resistance and nationwide protests. The administration asserted the measure will modernize Greek labor regulations, but opposition figures from the left-wing faction described it as a "legislative monstrosity." Main Elements of the New Labor Law According to the freshly approved legislation, yearly overtime is capped at one hundred and fifty hours, while the standard 40-hour workweek remains in place. The government insists that the longer shift is voluntary, only applies to the business sector, and can exclusively be applied for up to thirty-seven days each year. Parliamentary Backing and Opposition The recent ballot was backed by lawmakers from the ruling centre-right party, with the moderate faction – currently the primary opposition – voting against the bill, while the progressive party did not vote. Labor unions have organized two general strikes demanding the law's repeal recently that brought transportation and public services to a standstill. Government Defense and Worker Safeguards The Labor Minister supported the legislation, claiming the changes align national legislation with modern labor-market conditions, and alleged critics of misinforming the citizens. These regulations will give employees the choice to take on extra work with the same employer for increased pay, while guaranteeing they cannot be dismissed for declining overtime. The measure follows EU labor rules, which limit the mean workweek to 48 hours including overtime but permit flexibility over a year, according to the government. Opposition Viewpoints and Labor Responses But, opposition parties have charged the administration of eroding employee protections and "driving the country back to a labor middle age." They say local employees currently put in more time than most Europeans while receiving lower pay and still "struggle to make ends meet." A major labor organization stated variable shifts in reality mean "the end of the standard workday, the destruction of personal time and the legalisation of over-exploitation." Recent Workplace Reforms and Financial Background Last year, Greece introduced a six-day work schedule for certain industries in a attempt to boost the economy. Recent legislation, which started at the start of July, permit workers to work up to forty-eight hours in a week as instead of forty. European Work Data and Greek Financial Metrics Throughout the EU in the previous year, the highest working weeks were observed in the Hellenic Republic, followed by Bulgaria, Poland (38.9) and Romania. The shortest working week in the bloc is in the Netherlands (32.1), according to EU statistics. As of January 2025, the nation's official base pay was €968 a month, ranking it in the lower tier among EU countries. Unemployment, which had reached a high at 28% during the financial crisis, was 8.1% in August compared with an European mean of 5.9%, data from Eurostat show. The country is improving since its prolonged debt crisis, which ended in recent years, but wages and quality of life remain among the lowest in the EU.