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Greece's parliament has given the green light a contentious labor reform that permits extended-length work shifts, in the face of widespread resistance and nationwide strike actions.

Government officials claimed the measure will revamp the country's work laws, but critics from the left-wing faction labeled it as a "legislative monstrosity."

Key Provisions of the New Work Legislation

Under the newly enacted legislation, annual overtime is also at 150 hours, while the regular 40-hour week remains in place.

Officials emphasizes that the extended workday is optional, only applies to the private sector, and can only be applied for up to thirty-seven days each year.

Parliamentary Support and Opposition

Thursday's ballot was supported by lawmakers from the ruling centre-right political group, with the centre-left faction – now the primary resistance – rejecting the bill, while the left-wing party abstained.

Worker organizations have organized multiple protests demanding the law's repeal recently that halted public transport and public services to a stop.

Government Justification and Worker Protections

The Labor Minister supported the bill, saying the changes bring in line national laws with current labor-market realities, and alleged critics of misleading the citizens.

The laws will give workers the choice to accept additional hours with the same employer for 40% higher pay, while ensuring they cannot be fired for refusing extra hours.

This complies with European Union labor rules, which cap the mean workweek to forty-eight hours counting overtime but allow adjustments over a year, as stated by the administration.

Critical Perspectives and Labor Reactions

However, opposition parties have accused the administration of eroding employee protections and "pushing the country back to a labor middle age." They say Greek employees currently work longer hours than the majority of EU citizens while receiving lower pay and still "struggle to make ends meet."

The public-sector union stated variable shifts in practice mean "the abolition of the standard workday, the destruction of personal time and the authorization of over-exploitation."

Previous Labor Changes and Financial Context

In 2024, Greece introduced a six-day work schedule for certain sectors in a attempt to stimulate the economy.

Recent legislation, which came into effect at the beginning of the summer, permit employees to work up to 48 hours in a workweek as instead of 40.

European Labor Statistics and National Financial Indicators

• Throughout the EU in 2024, the highest working weeks were recorded in the Hellenic Republic, then Bulgaria (39.0), Poland and Romania.
• The lowest work hours in the bloc is in the Netherlands, as per Eurostat.
• As of January 2025, Greece's official minimum wage stood at nine hundred sixty-eight euros a month, placing it in the bottom group among European nations.
• Unemployment, which had peaked at 28% during the financial crisis, was 8.1% in August versus an EU average of 5.9%, figures from the statistical office show.
• Greece is recovering since its prolonged debt crisis, which ended in 2018, but wages and living standards continue to be among the lowest in the EU.