🔗 Share this article Greece Enacts Debated Labor Legislation Authorizing 13-Hour Workdays in Specific Cases Government Building The Greek legislature has given the green light a hotly debated work legislation that authorizes 13-hour working days, in the face of fierce opposition and countrywide protests. Government officials stated the law will update Greek work laws, but opposition figures from the left-wing party labeled it as a "legislative monstrosity." Key Elements of the Recently Passed Labor Law According to the newly enacted law, annual extra hours is also at 150 hours, while the standard forty-hour week remains in place. Officials insists that the extended shift is optional, solely affects the business sector, and can only be applied for up to 37 days each year. Political Support and Opposition Thursday's ballot was supported by lawmakers from the ruling conservative party, with the moderate party – currently the main resistance – voting against the bill, while the left-wing group did not vote. Labor unions have staged two general strikes calling for the law's repeal this month that brought transportation and public services to a standstill. Official Justification and Worker Safeguards A senior official supported the bill, saying the changes bring in line national legislation with current employment conditions, and alleged opposition leaders of misleading the citizens. The laws will give workers the choice to take on extra work with the same employer for 40% higher pay, while ensuring they cannot be fired for refusing extra hours. The measure follows European Union labor rules, which cap the average week to forty-eight hours counting extra hours but permit flexibility over a year, as stated by the administration. Opposition Viewpoints and Labor Reactions However, opposition parties have accused the government of weakening employee protections and "driving the country back to a labor middle age." They say local employees already put in more time than most EU citizens while receiving lower pay and still "face financial difficulties." A major labor organization stated flexible working hours in practice mean "the abolition of the standard workday, the destruction of family and social life and the authorization of excessive labor." Previous Workplace Reforms and Financial Context In 2024, the country introduced a six-day work schedule for certain sectors in a attempt to boost economic growth. New laws, which came into effect at the start of July, permit employees to work up to 48 hours in a week as opposed to 40. EU Labor Data and Greek Economic Indicators Across the EU in the previous year, the longest working weeks were observed in the Hellenic Republic, then Bulgaria (39.0), Poland (38.9) and Romania. The shortest work hours in the bloc is in the Netherlands, as per Eurostat. As of January 2025, Greece's national minimum wage stood at €968 a month, placing it in the lower tier among EU countries. Joblessness, which had peaked at 28% during the economic downturn, was eight point one percent in August versus an European mean of five point nine percent, figures from Eurostat indicate. The country is recovering since its decade-long financial troubles, which ended in 2018, but salaries and quality of life remain among the poorest in the EU.