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Government Building

The Greek legislature has approved a disputed labor reform that authorizes extended-length work shifts, in the face of strong resistance and nationwide protests.

The administration stated the law will revamp the country's work laws, but opposition figures from the progressive faction labeled it as a "legislative monstrosity."

Key Elements of the New Labor Law

According to the newly enacted law, yearly extra hours is also at 150 hours, while the regular forty-hour workweek stays unchanged.

Officials emphasizes that the extended shift is optional, solely affects the private sector, and can exclusively be implemented for up to 37 days each year.

Parliamentary Support and Opposition

Thursday's vote was backed by lawmakers from the governing conservative political group, with the centre-left party – now the primary opposition – voting against the legislation, while the left-wing group abstained.

Worker organizations have organized two general strikes calling for the law's repeal this month that brought public transport and public services to a stop.

Government Defense and Employee Protections

The Labor Minister supported the bill, claiming the changes bring in line national laws with modern employment realities, and accused opposition leaders of misinforming the public.

These regulations will provide workers the choice to accept additional hours with the same employer for increased pay, while guaranteeing they will not be dismissed for refusing overtime.

The measure complies with European Union labor regulations, which cap the mean week to 48 hours counting overtime but allow adjustments over a year, as stated by the government.

Opposition Perspectives and Union Reactions

However, critics have accused the administration of weakening employee protections and "driving the nation back to a medieval work era." They argue local workers currently work longer hours than the majority of Europeans while earning less and still "struggle to make ends meet."

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

Recent Workplace Changes and Financial Context

In 2024, the country enacted a six-day work schedule for specific industries in a bid to boost the economy.

Recent laws, which came into effect at the start of July, allow employees to labor up to forty-eight hours in a week as instead of forty.

EU Work Statistics and Greek Financial Metrics

• Across the European Union in 2024, the highest average hours were observed in Greece (39.8 hours), followed by Bulgaria (39.0), Poland (38.9) and Romania.
• The shortest working week in the bloc is in the Netherlands, as per Eurostat.
• Starting this year, the nation's national base pay was €968 a month, placing it in the bottom group among EU countries.
• Joblessness, which had peaked at 28% during the financial crisis, was eight point one percent in August versus an EU average of 5.9%, figures from Eurostat show.
• The country is recovering since its prolonged debt crisis, which ended in 2018, but wages and living standards remain among the poorest in the EU.