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Government Building

Greece's legislature has ratified a disputed labor reform that enables extended-length work shifts, in the face of widespread opposition and countrywide protests.

The administration stated the measure will modernize Greek work laws, but critics from the left-wing party labeled it as a "regulatory disaster."

Main Elements of the New Labor Law

According to the newly enacted law, annual overtime is also at one hundred and fifty hours, while the regular 40-hour workweek stays unchanged.

Officials insists that the longer shift is optional, solely affects the business sector, and can exclusively be used for up to thirty-seven days each year.

Political Backing and Resistance

Thursday's vote was backed by lawmakers from the ruling centre-right party, with the centre-left faction – currently the primary resistance – voting against the legislation, while the progressive group abstained.

Worker organizations have staged multiple protests demanding the law's repeal this month that brought public transport and public services to a stop.

Official Defense and Worker Safeguards

The Labor Minister defended the legislation, claiming the changes bring in line Greek laws with modern employment realities, and alleged critics of misinforming the citizens.

The laws will provide employees the option to take on additional hours with the same employer for 40% higher compensation, while ensuring they cannot be dismissed for declining overtime.

This complies with EU labor rules, which cap the average week to 48 hours including extra hours but allow flexibility over 12 months, according to the government.

Opposition Perspectives and Labor Reactions

However, critics have charged the government of weakening workers' rights and "driving the nation back to a medieval work era." They say local employees already work longer hours than the majority of EU citizens while receiving lower pay and still "face financial difficulties."

A major labor organization said variable shifts in reality mean "the end of the eight-hour day, the disruption of personal time and the legalisation of excessive labor."

Previous Labor Reforms and Economic Background

In 2024, Greece introduced a six-day work schedule for certain industries in a bid to boost economic growth.

Recent legislation, which came into effect at the start of the summer, allow employees to work up to 48 hours in a week as opposed to forty.

EU Labor Statistics and National Financial Indicators

• Throughout the European Union in 2024, the longest working weeks were observed in the Hellenic Republic, followed by Bulgaria (39.0), Poland (38.9) and Romania.
• The shortest working week in the union is in the Netherlands (32.1), according to Eurostat.
• Starting this year, the nation's national base pay stood at nine hundred sixty-eight euros a month, ranking it in the bottom group among EU countries.
• Unemployment, which had peaked at 28% during the financial crisis, was eight point one percent in the summer compared with an European mean of 5.9%, data from Eurostat show.
• The country is recovering since its prolonged financial troubles, which concluded in 2018, but wages and quality of life continue to be among the lowest in the EU.