17.10.2025 00:06
The Greek Parliament has approved a bill that extends working hours in the private sector to up to 13 hours a day. The amendment has sparked large protests across the country.
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The Greek Parliament has approved a bill allowing working hours to be increased to up to 13 hours a day despite fierce opposition and protests.
The Greek Parliament has passed a bill that enables the private sector to increase working hours from the current 8 hours a day to up to 13 hours. The Greek government argues that the change will make the labor market more flexible and efficient.
WORKING HOURS INCREASED
The change, which will cause many private sector employees, from factory workers to cashiers and hotel staff, to work longer shifts, will make Greece the first EU member state to implement working hours of up to 13 hours a day.
APPROVED BY THE PARLIAMENT
The change, which will be a voluntary system and will only affect the private sector, can be applied for a maximum of three days a month and a maximum of 37 working days a year. The law approved by the Parliament will also protect employees from being fired if they refuse to work overtime.
Additionally, the law will grant employers more flexibility in short-term hiring and will allow employees to work four days a week throughout the year in agreement with their employers. The law was passed with a majority vote in the 300-seat parliament.
WEEKLY 48-HOUR LIMIT WILL NOT BE EXCEEDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH EU REGULATIONS
Under the new implementation, working hours will not exceed the weekly limit of 48 hours in accordance with EU regulations. While the standard working hours will continue to be 40 hours a week, overtime will be paid at a rate of 40% more. The new implementation is expected to contribute to solving the shortage of skilled workers due to Greece's declining and aging population.
THE LAW HAS LED TO STRIKES TWICE
Unions argue that the law undermines workers' bargaining power in a country where informal work is widespread and average wages are low. The change allowing the private sector to extend working hours has led to protests and two major strikes across the country this month.
Greece ranks among the countries with the highest working hours in Europe, with an average weekly working time of about 40 hours. Weekly working hours are around 34 hours in Germany and 32 hours in the Netherlands. Last year, Greece also introduced a six-day workweek for certain sectors to promote economic growth.
As Greece recovers from the debt crisis between 2009-2018, which was accompanied by years of austerity policies, the recent improvements have not been enough to bring salaries back to pre-crisis levels. According to Eurostat data, the purchasing power of the Greek people is among the lowest in the European Union.
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