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Government Building

The Greek parliament has ratified a disputed labor reform that authorizes extended-length working days, despite fierce opposition and countrywide protests.

The administration claimed the measure will update the country's labor regulations, but opposition figures from the left-wing party labeled it as a "regulatory disaster."

Main Elements of the New Work Legislation

Under the freshly approved law, yearly overtime is limited at 150 hours, while the standard 40-hour week continues as before.

Officials emphasizes that the longer shift is optional, solely applies to the private sector, and can only be applied for up to 37 days annually.

Political Support and Resistance

The recent ballot was supported by lawmakers from the ruling conservative political group, with the moderate faction – currently the main resistance – voting against the legislation, while the progressive group abstained.

Worker organizations have staged multiple protests calling for the bill's withdrawal this month that halted transportation and services to a standstill.

Official Justification and Worker Safeguards

A senior official defended the bill, stating the reforms align national legislation with modern labor-market realities, and alleged opposition leaders of misleading the public.

The laws will give workers the option to take on additional hours with the current company for increased pay, while ensuring they cannot be fired for declining extra hours.

The measure follows EU working-time regulations, which limit the average workweek to 48 hours including overtime but permit flexibility over 12 months, according to the government.

Critical Perspectives and Union Responses

But, critics have charged the administration of eroding employee protections and "driving the country back to a medieval work era." They argue local employees currently work longer hours than most EU citizens while receiving lower pay and still "struggle to make ends meet."

A major labor organization said flexible working hours in reality mean "the end of the eight-hour day, the disruption of personal time and the legalisation of over-exploitation."

Previous Labor Changes and Economic Context

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

New laws, which started at the start of the summer, allow workers to work up to 48 hours in a workweek as instead of 40.

EU Labor Statistics and National Financial Metrics

• Across the European Union in 2024, the highest average hours were recorded in Greece (39.8 hours), followed by Bulgaria, Poland (38.9) and Romania.
• The shortest work hours in the bloc is in the Netherlands (32.1), as per EU statistics.
• As of January 2025, Greece's national minimum wage stood at €968 a month, ranking it in the lower tier among European nations.
• Joblessness, which had peaked at twenty-eight percent during the economic downturn, was 8.1% in August compared with an European mean of 5.9%, data from the statistical office show.
• Greece is recovering since its decade-long debt crisis, which ended in 2018, but salaries and quality of life continue to be among the lowest in the EU.