Greece’s parliament has approved a contentious labor reform that allows employers to extend working days to 13 hours under specific conditions. The government says the change will modernise labour laws and give employees the option to work extra hours for the same employer, but it insists that longer shifts will remain optional, apply only to the private sector and be limited to 37 days a year.
The reform expands the current eight‑hour day at a time when Greeks already work the most in the EU, averaging 40 hours a week compared with the bloc’s 35‑hour average, according to Eurostat. Union leaders have denounced the law as a blow to workers’ rights, pointing to stagnant wages, soaring living costs and a country plagued by undeclared labour and low average pay. The public‑sector union ADEDY warned that the measure amounts to “the abolition of the eight‑hour day, the destruction of family and social life, and the legalization of over‑exploitation.”
Greece is still recovering from a decade‑long debt crisis that ended in 2018 after years of austerity that wiped out a quarter of its economy. Wages remain below pre‑crisis levels and purchasing power is among the lowest in the EU. In response to the reform, workers have staged two general strikes this month, the latest on Tuesday. A 46‑year‑old construction worker protesting in Thessaloniki said, “You can’t really refuse; they always find ways to impose what they want.”
The opposition has accused the ruling party of eroding labour rights and “pushing the country back to the Middle Ages.” The controversy highlights the ongoing struggles of Greek workers, who fear being forced to work longer hours without adequate compensation.
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