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Government Building

Greece's parliament has given the green light a disputed labor reform that permits 13-hour working days, despite widespread opposition and nationwide strike actions.

The administration asserted the measure will update Greek work laws, but opposition figures from the progressive party described it as a "regulatory disaster."

Key Elements of the Recently Passed Work Legislation

According to the freshly approved legislation, yearly extra hours is limited at 150 hours, while the regular forty-hour week continues as before.

The government insists that the longer shift is optional, only affects the business sector, and can only be applied for up to thirty-seven days annually.

Political Backing and Resistance

Thursday's ballot was backed by MPs from the ruling centre-right political group, with the centre-left faction – currently the main opposition – rejecting the legislation, while the left-wing group did not vote.

Labor unions have organized multiple protests demanding the law's repeal this month that brought public transport and services to a stop.

Official Justification and Employee Protections

A senior official supported the bill, claiming the reforms bring in line Greek laws with current employment realities, and alleged opposition leaders of misinforming the citizens.

The laws will give workers the option to take on extra work with the same employer for 40% higher pay, while guaranteeing they will not be fired for refusing overtime.

This complies with European Union labor regulations, which limit the average week to 48 hours counting extra hours but allow adjustments over 12 months, according to the administration.

Critical Viewpoints and Union Reactions

But, opposition parties have accused the government of eroding workers' rights and "pushing the nation back to a medieval work era." They argue local workers currently put in more time than the majority of Europeans while earning less and still "face financial difficulties."

The public-sector union stated variable shifts in practice mean "the end of the eight-hour day, the disruption of family and social life and the authorization of excessive labor."

Recent Workplace Changes and Economic Context

Last year, Greece enacted a six-day working week for specific industries in a attempt to stimulate economic growth.

New legislation, which started at the start of the summer, permit employees to labor up to 48 hours in a week as instead of 40.

EU Work Statistics and National Financial Indicators

• Throughout the European Union in 2024, the highest average hours were recorded in the Hellenic Republic, followed by Bulgaria, Poland and Romania (38.8).
• The lowest work hours in the bloc is in the Netherlands (32.1), according to EU statistics.
• As of January 2025, the nation's national base pay was €968 a month, placing it in the lower tier among European nations.
• Joblessness, which had peaked at twenty-eight percent during the financial crisis, was 8.1% in August compared with an European mean of 5.9%, data from the statistical office show.
• The country is recovering since its prolonged financial troubles, which concluded in 2018, but wages and living standards remain among the poorest in the European Union.