Greece to be the first in the EU to introduce a 13-hour workday 0 19

Parliament is set to vote on a controversial law amid planned nationwide protests. Despite growing resistance from trade unions and opposition parties, the bill is expected to pass with an overwhelming majority from the ruling party, New Democracy.

Since coming to power in 2019, the center-right government has transformed the country's labor market into one of the most "flexible" in Europe. Starting in July 2024, workers in industry, retail, agriculture, and certain service sectors may be asked to work under a new six-day schedule, with a 40% pay increase for the sixth working day.

This move, which contradicts the trend towards a shorter workweek in some European countries, has been deemed necessary due to Greece's aging and shrinking population and a significant shortage of skilled workers.

On Tuesday, Greece was engulfed in a general strike, the second this month, as unions demanded the withdrawal of the new legislation. Most public transport and state services were halted amid mass protests.

"Flexible working hours" in practice means "the abolition of the eight-hour workday, the destruction of any concept of family and community life, and the legalization of excessive exploitation," stated the public sector union ADEDY.

The new legislation stipulates that workers can work up to 13 hours a day for no more than 37.5 days a year. The 13-hour workday is to be voluntary, and no worker is obliged to work overtime, the Ministry of Labor stated. However, unions argue that employers have the upper hand in these negotiations, especially in a country where there is almost no tradition of workplace inspections.

The legislation also allows for the possibility of splitting annual leave into more than two parts throughout the year, flexible weekly schedules, two-day contracts, and expedited hiring through an app – all to meet the "urgent needs of the company," according to the draft law.

Greece's economy has recovered from a decade-long financial crisis that began with the debt crisis in 2009 and was accompanied by three bailout programs that lasted until 2018. The unemployment rate, which reached a staggering 28% during the crisis, stood at 8.1% in August. The EU average was 5.9%.

However, in other indicators, convergence with the EU has not occurred: wages remain among the lowest in the European Union, meaning many Greeks are forced to work two jobs to cover the soaring cost of living, particularly high housing expenses.