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Government Building

The Greek parliament has approved a contentious work legislation that permits extended-length working days, in the face of fierce opposition and nationwide protests.

The administration asserted the law will modernize Greek work laws, but critics from the left-wing party described it as a "legislative monstrosity."

Key Provisions of the New Work Legislation

Under the newly enacted law, annual overtime is limited at 150 hours, while the standard 40-hour week continues as before.

Officials insists that the extended workday is voluntary, only affects the business sector, and can exclusively be used for up to thirty-seven days annually.

Political Backing and Resistance

Thursday's ballot was backed by MPs from the ruling conservative party, with the centre-left party – now the primary resistance – rejecting the legislation, while the progressive group did not vote.

Labor unions have organized multiple protests demanding the bill's withdrawal this month that halted public transport and services to a stop.

Official Justification and Worker Safeguards

The Labor Minister supported the legislation, stating the reforms bring in line national legislation with current employment realities, and accused opposition leaders of misleading the public.

These regulations will give employees the option to take on extra work with the current company for 40% higher compensation, while guaranteeing they will not be dismissed for declining extra hours.

This follows European Union working-time regulations, which cap the average workweek to 48 hours including overtime but allow flexibility over a year, according to the government.

Opposition Viewpoints and Union Reactions

However, critics have accused the government of eroding workers' rights and "driving the country back to a medieval work era." They argue Greek employees currently put in more time than the majority of Europeans while earning less and still "face financial difficulties."

A major labor organization said variable shifts in practice mean "the end of the eight-hour day, the destruction of personal time and the authorization of over-exploitation."

Recent Labor Changes and Financial Background

Last year, Greece introduced a six-day working week for certain sectors in a attempt to boost the economy.

Recent legislation, which came into effect at the start of July, permit employees to work up to forty-eight hours in a workweek as instead of 40.

European Work Statistics and National Economic Indicators

• Throughout the EU in 2024, the highest working weeks were observed in Greece (39.8 hours), then Bulgaria (39.0), Poland and Romania.
• The shortest working week in the union is in the Netherlands (32.1), according to EU statistics.
• Starting January 2025, Greece's national base pay was €968 a month, placing it in the bottom group among European nations.
• Joblessness, which had reached a high at 28% during the financial crisis, was 8.1% in the summer compared with an European mean of five point nine percent, data from Eurostat show.
• The country is recovering since its prolonged financial troubles, which ended in recent years, but wages and quality of life continue to be among the poorest in the European Union.