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The Greek parliament has given the green light a hotly debated work legislation that permits extended-length work shifts, despite fierce resistance and nationwide protests.

Government officials claimed the measure will revamp Greek labor regulations, but opposition figures from the left-wing faction described it as a "regulatory disaster."

Main Provisions of the Recently Passed Work Legislation

According to the freshly approved legislation, annual extra hours is capped at 150 hours, while the standard 40-hour workweek stays unchanged.

Officials emphasizes that the extended workday is optional, solely affects the business sector, and can exclusively be implemented for up to thirty-seven days each year.

Political Support and Resistance

Thursday's ballot was supported by lawmakers from the ruling conservative political group, with the moderate party – currently the primary resistance – voting against the bill, while the progressive group did not vote.

Labor unions have organized two general strikes calling for the bill's withdrawal this month that brought transportation and services to a stop.

Official Defense and Employee Safeguards

The Labor Minister defended the bill, claiming the reforms bring in line Greek legislation with current labor-market realities, and accused critics of misinforming the public.

These regulations will provide employees the option to accept extra work with the same employer for 40% higher pay, while guaranteeing they cannot be dismissed for declining overtime.

This follows European Union labor regulations, which cap the average workweek to forty-eight hours counting overtime but permit flexibility over a year, as stated by the government.

Critical Perspectives and Labor Reactions

But, critics have accused the administration of weakening employee protections and "driving the country back to a labor middle age." They argue Greek employees currently work longer hours than most Europeans while receiving lower pay and still "face financial difficulties."

A major labor organization said variable shifts in practice mean "the abolition of the standard workday, the disruption of family and social life and the legalisation of over-exploitation."

Recent Labor Reforms and Financial Background

In 2024, the country enacted a six-day work schedule for certain industries in a bid to boost economic growth.

Recent laws, which came into effect at the beginning of July, allow employees to work up to forty-eight hours in a week as instead of 40.

European Work Data and Greek Economic Metrics

• Throughout the European Union in the previous year, the longest average hours were recorded in the Hellenic Republic, then Bulgaria, Poland and Romania (38.8).
• The shortest work hours in the union is in the Netherlands (32.1), according to EU statistics.
• Starting January 2025, the nation's national base pay stood at €968 a month, ranking it in the lower tier among EU countries.
• Joblessness, which had peaked at twenty-eight percent during the financial crisis, was eight point one percent in August compared with an European mean of five point nine percent, data from the statistical office indicate.
• Greece is recovering since its prolonged financial troubles, which concluded in recent years, but salaries and quality of life continue to be among the lowest in the EU.