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Posted on 08/22/2025 6:31:18 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Greece is moving ahead with a controversial proposal that would make it the first country in the European Union to allow 13-hour workdays for a single employer. Set to be presented in September, the draft law has already drawn sharp criticism from unions, while the government insists it will provide much-needed flexibility in the labour market.
This plan builds on recent reforms, one of which includes the introduction of a six-day workweek last year. Previously, employees were allowed to work up to 13 hours per day for two employers. However, under the new framework, employees could work up to 13 hours a day for a single employer. The 40-hour week would remain the standard.
Extended shifts would be capped at 37 days per year, and overall working time could not exceed 48 hours per week on average over a four-month period. Additionally, overtime would be paid at a 40% premium.
Labour Minister Niki Kerameos has argued that the reform is optional. The intention is to ease staff shortages in critical sectors like tourism and hospitality, where nearly 80,000 positions remain vacant. She also framed the law as a way to curb undeclared work by bringing additional hours into the formal system.
Unions, though, see the proposal as a direct attack on protections. The General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) stated that the measure is “an attempt to dismantle collective labour law.” They warned that shifting responsibility for working time to individual agreements between employers and workers undermines collective bargaining.
Critics have also questioned the impact on health, productivity, and family life, noting that the most productive countries in Europe, such as Denmark, Finland, and Germany, are also those with the shortest average working hours.
Greek unemployment has dropped to 8.3 per cent, which is the lowest it’s been in 17 years. Despite this, wages remain among the lowest in Europe, at nearly half of the EU average. Many locals juggle multiple jobs to keep up with the cost of living. At the same time, surveys show that younger workers increasingly prioritise work-life balance.
For the government, this proposed 13-hour day is meant to modernise Greece’s workforce and assist employers struggling to find staff. For unions, on the other hand, it represents a step toward making Greece the most deregulated labour market in Europe. Given the government’s parliamentary majority, this bill is likely to pass – an act that will set the stage for a defining clash over the future of work in the country.
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What’s a Grecian earn?
Well, this should separate the men from the boys.
Well, this should separate the men from the boys.
With a crowbar?
Probably takes 13hrs to 8hrs of work.
Gotta love the old jokes.
God forbid people should be allowed to work hard if they want to.
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