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Government Building

Greece's parliament has approved a contentious labor reform that permits extended-length working days, despite strong resistance and countrywide protests.

Government officials claimed the measure will modernize Greek labor regulations, but opposition figures from the left-wing faction labeled it as a "legislative monstrosity."

Key Provisions of the New Labor Law

Under the newly enacted legislation, yearly overtime is limited at one hundred and fifty hours, while the standard 40-hour week continues as before.

The government maintains that the longer shift is elective, solely affects the private sector, and can only be applied for up to thirty-seven days each year.

Political Backing and Resistance

Thursday's ballot was supported by MPs from the governing conservative political group, with the centre-left party – now the main resistance – rejecting the bill, while the progressive group did not vote.

Labor unions have organized two general strikes calling for the law's repeal recently that halted transportation and services to a standstill.

Government Defense and Employee Protections

The Labor Minister supported the legislation, stating the changes bring in line Greek legislation with current labor-market realities, and alleged critics of misinforming the citizens.

The laws will give employees the choice to accept additional hours with the current company for 40% higher pay, while guaranteeing they cannot be dismissed for declining overtime.

The measure follows EU working-time rules, which limit the mean week to forty-eight hours including overtime but permit adjustments over a year, as stated by the administration.

Opposition Viewpoints and Union Responses

However, critics have charged the administration of weakening employee protections and "driving the country back to a labor middle age." They argue Greek employees already put in more time than most Europeans while earning less and still "face financial difficulties."

A major labor organization said flexible working hours in practice mean "the end of the standard workday, the destruction of family and social life and the legalisation of over-exploitation."

Recent Workplace Reforms and Financial Background

In 2024, the country introduced a six-day working week for certain industries in a bid to boost the economy.

Recent legislation, which started at the start of July, allow employees to work up to forty-eight hours in a week as opposed to 40.

EU Work Data and Greek Financial Indicators

• Throughout the EU in 2024, the longest working weeks were recorded in the Hellenic Republic, followed by Bulgaria, Poland (38.9) and Romania (38.8).
• The lowest work hours in the bloc is in the Netherlands (32.1), as per EU statistics.
• As of this year, Greece's national minimum wage was nine hundred sixty-eight euros a month, ranking it in the bottom group among EU countries.
• Unemployment, which had peaked at 28% during the economic downturn, was 8.1% in August versus an EU average of 5.9%, data from the statistical office indicate.
• Greece is improving since its prolonged financial troubles, which concluded in recent years, but wages and quality of life continue to be among the poorest in the EU.