Greece’s 8-Hour Workday Reform Sparks Backlash from Unions

Greece’s government is facing growing backlash over a new labor bill that expands daily working limits and revises key employment rights. The draft legislation, introduced by Labor Minister Niki Kerameus, allows employees to work up to 13 hours per day for a single employer—previously only possible through dual employment.

The government argues the measure offers flexibility and could boost incomes. For instance, someone earning €8 per hour could receive €119 for 13 hours of work at one job, compared to €104 across two. Kerameus insists the 8-hour workday remains the standard and that safeguards like mandatory rest periods and overtime pay (+40%) are preserved.

Critics, including Greece’s main labor union GSEE, warn the bill undermines hard-won protections. “It sabotages collective bargaining and places negotiation burdens on individual workers, where the power balance is unequal,” GSEE said in a statement.

Other changes include extending the 4-day workweek option year-round, allowing annual leave to be taken in multiple segments, and fixing maternity leave gaps for women with multiple employers. Overtime beyond legal limits will be penalized, and employers are barred from reducing wages after the rollout of Greece’s Digital Work Card system.

Greece has one of the longest average working weeks in the EU—41.2 hours in 2023 compared to the EU average of 36.1, according to Eurostat. The new reforms are part of broader efforts to modernize labor laws, but unions say the real risk is normalizing extreme working hours in a country still grappling with low wages and high cost of living.

Source: tovima.com