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Government Building

Greece's parliament has ratified a disputed labor reform that permits extended-length working days, despite widespread resistance and countrywide strike actions.

Government officials stated the measure will modernize Greek labor regulations, but critics from the progressive faction described it as a "legislative monstrosity."

Key Elements of the Recently Passed Labor Law

According to the newly enacted law, annual overtime is capped at 150 hours, while the regular 40-hour week continues as before.

Officials emphasizes that the longer shift is voluntary, solely applies to the private sector, and can exclusively be applied for up to 37 days each year.

Political Backing and Opposition

Thursday's vote was supported by lawmakers from the governing conservative political group, with the moderate faction – currently the main opposition – voting against the legislation, while the left-wing party did not vote.

Worker organizations have organized two general strikes demanding the law's repeal recently that halted transportation and services to a stop.

Official Defense and Worker Safeguards

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

These regulations will give workers the option to accept additional hours with the same employer for 40% higher compensation, while ensuring they will not be dismissed for refusing extra hours.

This follows European Union working-time regulations, which limit the mean week to forty-eight hours counting overtime but permit flexibility over a year, according to the administration.

Opposition Perspectives and Labor Responses

But, opposition parties have accused the administration of weakening workers' rights and "pushing the country back to a labor middle age." They argue Greek employees currently work longer hours than the majority of Europeans while earning less and still "face financial difficulties."

The public-sector union stated variable shifts in practice mean "the abolition of the standard workday, the destruction of family and social life and the legalisation of over-exploitation."

Recent Labor Changes and Economic Background

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

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

European Work Data and National Financial Metrics

• Across the European Union in the previous year, the highest average hours were recorded in Greece (39.8 hours), followed by Bulgaria, Poland and Romania (38.8).
• The lowest work hours in the bloc is in the Netherlands, according to Eurostat.
• As of January 2025, the nation's official minimum wage stood at €968 a month, ranking it in the bottom group among EU countries.
• Joblessness, which had peaked at twenty-eight percent during the economic downturn, was eight point one percent in the summer versus an EU average of 5.9%, figures from Eurostat indicate.
• Greece is recovering since its prolonged debt crisis, which concluded in 2018, but salaries and living standards remain among the poorest in the EU.