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The Greek parliament has approved a contentious work legislation that authorizes extended-length working days, in the face of fierce opposition and nationwide protests.

The administration stated the law will modernize the country's labor regulations, but critics from the left-wing faction described it as a "legislative monstrosity."

Key Provisions of the New Work Legislation

Under the newly enacted legislation, annual overtime is capped at one hundred and fifty hours, while the standard 40-hour workweek stays unchanged.

The government insists that the longer workday is voluntary, solely affects the private sector, and can exclusively be implemented for up to thirty-seven days annually.

Parliamentary Support and Resistance

The recent ballot was supported by MPs from the governing conservative political group, with the centre-left party – currently the main resistance – rejecting the legislation, while the progressive group abstained.

Worker organizations have organized two general strikes calling for the bill's withdrawal this month that halted public transport and services to a stop.

Government Justification and Employee Safeguards

The Labor Minister supported the legislation, stating the reforms align Greek legislation with current labor-market realities, and accused opposition leaders of misleading the public.

The laws will give workers the choice to take on additional hours with the current company for 40% higher compensation, while guaranteeing they cannot be fired for declining extra hours.

The measure complies with EU labor regulations, which limit the mean week to forty-eight hours including extra hours but permit flexibility over a year, as stated by the administration.

Critical Perspectives and Labor Reactions

But, opposition parties have accused the administration of weakening workers' rights and "driving the country back to a labor middle age." They say Greek workers already put in more time than the majority of EU citizens while earning less and still "face financial difficulties."

The public-sector union stated flexible working hours in practice mean "the abolition of the eight-hour day, the disruption of personal time and the authorization of over-exploitation."

Previous Labor Reforms and Financial Background

In 2024, the country introduced a six-day work schedule for specific sectors in a bid to boost the economy.

New laws, which came into effect at the beginning of July, allow workers to labor up to forty-eight hours in a week as opposed to 40.

EU Work Statistics and National Economic Metrics

• Across the European Union in 2024, the longest average hours were observed in Greece (39.8 hours), followed by Bulgaria (39.0), Poland and Romania (38.8).
• The lowest working week in the union is in the Netherlands (32.1), as per Eurostat.
• Starting January 2025, Greece's official minimum wage stood at nine hundred sixty-eight euros a month, placing it in the lower tier among EU countries.
• Joblessness, which had reached a high at 28% during the economic downturn, was eight point one percent in the summer compared with an European mean of 5.9%, data from the statistical office indicate.
• The country is recovering since its prolonged financial troubles, which ended in recent years, but salaries and quality of life continue to be among the lowest in the European Union.