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Greece's parliament has approved a contentious labor reform that authorizes extended-length working days, in the face of strong resistance and nationwide protests.

Government officials asserted the measure will update Greek work laws, but critics from the left-wing party labeled it as a "regulatory disaster."

Main Provisions of the Recently Passed Work Legislation

Under the freshly approved law, annual overtime is capped at one hundred and fifty hours, while the regular 40-hour workweek continues as before.

Officials emphasizes that the longer workday is optional, only affects the private sector, and can exclusively be used for up to thirty-seven days annually.

Political Support and Opposition

The recent ballot was backed by lawmakers from the ruling conservative political group, with the centre-left party – currently the primary resistance – voting against the legislation, while the progressive group abstained.

Worker organizations have staged two general strikes demanding the law's repeal this month that halted transportation and services to a stop.

Government Justification and Worker Safeguards

A senior official supported the legislation, saying the changes align national laws with modern labor-market conditions, and alleged opposition leaders of misinforming the citizens.

These regulations will provide workers the option to accept additional hours with the same employer for increased compensation, while guaranteeing they will not be dismissed for refusing overtime.

This complies with EU labor rules, which limit the average week to 48 hours including overtime but allow adjustments over a year, as stated by the government.

Critical Perspectives and Union Responses

However, opposition parties have accused the government of weakening employee protections and "driving the nation back to a medieval work era." They say Greek workers already put in more time than most EU citizens while earning less and still "struggle to make ends meet."

A major labor organization stated variable shifts in reality mean "the end of the eight-hour day, the destruction of personal time and the authorization of excessive labor."

Previous Workplace Reforms and Economic Context

Last year, Greece introduced a six-day work schedule for certain sectors in a attempt to boost the economy.

New laws, which came into effect at the start of July, allow workers to labor up to 48 hours in a week as opposed to forty.

EU Work Data and Greek Financial Metrics

• Throughout the European Union in 2024, the highest average hours were recorded in the Hellenic Republic, followed by Bulgaria, Poland and Romania (38.8).
• The shortest working week in the bloc is in the Netherlands (32.1), according to Eurostat.
• Starting this year, the nation's official minimum wage stood at €968 a month, placing it in the lower tier among EU countries.
• Unemployment, which had peaked at twenty-eight percent during the financial crisis, was 8.1% in August versus an EU average of 5.9%, data from Eurostat indicate.
• The country is improving since its prolonged financial troubles, which concluded in 2018, but salaries and quality of life remain among the poorest in the European Union.