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Government Building

Greece's legislature has approved a contentious work legislation that authorizes 13-hour work shifts, in the face of strong resistance and countrywide protests.

The administration stated the measure will revamp Greek labor regulations, but opposition figures from the progressive party described it as a "regulatory disaster."

Main Elements of the New Labor Law

Under the newly enacted law, yearly extra hours is capped at 150 hours, while the regular 40-hour week stays unchanged.

The government emphasizes that the longer workday is optional, solely applies to the business sector, and can exclusively be implemented for up to thirty-seven days annually.

Political Support and Opposition

The recent ballot was backed by lawmakers from the ruling conservative party, with the centre-left party – now the main resistance – voting against the bill, while the left-wing party abstained.

Labor unions have staged multiple protests demanding the bill's withdrawal recently that brought public transport and public services to a stop.

Official Defense and Employee Protections

The Labor Minister supported the legislation, saying the reforms bring in line national laws with modern labor-market conditions, and accused opposition leaders of misinforming the public.

These regulations will give employees the option to accept additional hours with the current company for 40% higher compensation, while guaranteeing they will not be fired for declining overtime.

The measure complies with EU labor rules, which limit the mean week to forty-eight hours counting overtime but permit flexibility over a year, as stated by the administration.

Critical Viewpoints and Union Reactions

But, opposition parties have charged the government of weakening employee protections and "pushing the nation back to a labor middle age." They say Greek employees currently put in more time than most EU citizens while earning less and still "struggle to make ends meet."

A major labor organization said variable shifts in reality mean "the abolition of the eight-hour day, the disruption of family and social life and the authorization of excessive labor."

Recent Labor Changes and Financial Context

Last year, the country enacted a six-day work schedule for specific sectors in a bid to stimulate economic growth.

Recent legislation, which started at the beginning of July, permit workers to work up to 48 hours in a workweek as instead of 40.

European Work Data and Greek Economic Metrics

• Across the European Union in the previous year, the longest average hours were observed in the Hellenic Republic, followed by Bulgaria, Poland and Romania (38.8).
• The lowest working week in the bloc is in the Netherlands, as per EU statistics.
• As of January 2025, Greece's national base pay was €968 a month, ranking it in the lower tier among European nations.
• Unemployment, which had reached a high at twenty-eight percent during the economic downturn, was eight point one percent in August compared with an EU average of five point nine percent, data from the statistical office show.
• The country is recovering since its prolonged debt crisis, which concluded in recent years, but wages and quality of life continue to be among the lowest in the European Union.