Greece’s controversial 13-hour workday: Why the government wants longer hours

Pedestrians wait at Thessaloniki bus stop during strike over 13-hour workday law

Greece is about to pass a highly debated labour reform in the EU that could let private sector workers put in up to 13 hours a day under certain conditions. The bill, recently discussed in Parliament, has faced criticism from unions, opposition parties, and civil society groups, who say it weakens long-established worker rights.

The government, led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, insists the measure is designed to offer flexibility for both employers and employees, but the proposal has triggered nationwide strikes and protests. Public transport in Athens and Thessaloniki has ground to a halt, ferries remained in port, and hospitals and schools have seen staff walkouts in objection to the bill.

How the 13-hour workday will function

Under the proposed law, certain sectors including manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and hospitality can implement 13-hour workdays, but only for a maximum of 37 days annually, roughly three days per month. Labour Minister Niki Kerameus stressed that the term “13-hour workday” is misleading.

“It suggests that everyone would work 13 hours a day. It can be done up to 37 days a year, i.e. on a pro rata basis of three days per month. Therefore, the term 13 hours is wrong and misleading. Secondly, it requires the agreement of the employee,” she explained.

Employees performing overtime will receive an additional 40 per cent on top of their regular wages. Participation is voluntary, and no worker can be dismissed for refusing. Private sector employees, particularly in tourism and agriculture, are the primary focus of the policy, while supermarkets and other industries are largely excluded.

The law forms part of a broader labour reform package, allowing fragmented annual leave, flexible weekly schedules, and a new digital platform for short-term contracts. These measures aim to address “urgent operational needs” in a modernised labour market, according to the government.

Economic pressures behind the reform

The Mitsotakis administration argues the reform is essential for Greece’s economic recovery and to tackle chronic labour shortages. The workforce has shrunk due to demographic decline, and businesses report difficulties finding staff during peak seasons.

Since 2019, the government has pursued a pro-business agenda. The six-day working week introduced in 2024 for certain industries, with a 40 per cent pay premium for the sixth day, is cited as part of broader efforts to make Greece more “competitive and flexible.” Kerameus highlighted that unemployment at 8.1 per cent, down from 28 per cent at the height of the financial crisis, strengthens employees’ bargaining position.

Despite economic growth, Greeks face some of the lowest wages in the EU. The minimum monthly wage stands at €880, and the cost of living, particularly for housing and food, remains high. Eurostat data indicates that Greeks already work an average of 39.8 hours per week, compared to the EU average of 35.8, with roughly one in five working more than 45 hours weekly.

Opposition and union concerns

Unions and opposition parties have strongly condemned the legislation. The General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) warned that the policy “violates the daily rest rule of 11 hours and endangers the health and safety of workers.” Civil service union ADEDY argued, “Our health, both mental and physical, and the balance between personal and professional life are goods that cannot be replaced with money. Making it legal to work from morning till night is not normal and cannot be tolerated by our society. It is truly barbaric. It is inhuman.”

Workers fear that, despite the voluntary nature of overtime, employees may face subtle pressures to comply, including transfers or demotion. Thessaloniki protester Dimitris Polyzoidis said, “Working 13 hours a day means there is absolutely no free time left to lead a somewhat decent life: spending time with friends, family.” Others described it as a “new attempt to legalise modern slavery,” with overtime becoming a “means of survival,” particularly in the tourist sector.

Opposition MPs have denounced the legislation as a threat to job security and work-life balance. Efi Achtsioglou of the New Left called the debate “shameful” and “backward,” while Syriza leader Sokratis Famellos likened it to establishing a “true Middle Ages of labour.”

Health and productivity risks

Experts warn that excessively long working days could undermine worker health, increase workplace accidents, and reduce productivity. Research indicates that longer hours often diminish efficiency and the quality of goods and services. While other European nations experiment with shorter workweeks to boost productivity and well-being, Greece is moving in the opposite direction due to unique economic pressures.

Unions view the reform as part of a long-term effort to weaken collective bargaining power. With limited labour inspection resources, they fear that the “voluntary” overtime could be misused by employers, exacerbating job insecurity and reinforcing a model of flexible and unprotected work. The Greek General Confederation of Labour submitted a formal objection, warning that the measures “exacerbate job insecurity and reinforce the model of flexible and unprotected work.”

Greece’s 13-hour workday proposal highlights the tension between economic pragmatism and workers’ rights. The government frames it as a solution to labour shortages and economic modernisation, while unions see it as a rollback of protections that could jeopardise health, safety, and work-life balance. With parliament expected to pass the bill due to the conservative majority, the reform marks a pivotal moment in Greece’s labour landscape, prompting nationwide debates over the limits of flexibility in an evolving economy.

(Inputs from agencies)