On Thursday, the Greek parliament approved a controversial reform that will allow employees to work 13 hours a day under certain circumstances. The draft law has been discussed by deputies since Wednesday, and it has been harshly criticized by trade unions and the opposition, TASR informs, according to a report by the AFP agency.
- The Greek parliament has approved a reform allowing working up to 13 hours a day.
- The unions organized two general strikes against the proposed reform.
- The reform introduces a maximum annual limit of 150 hours of overtime.
- The new working hours are voluntary and apply to the private sector.
- Eurostat reports that Greeks work more than the European average.
Greek unions organized two general strikes this month against the planned reform. The first was held at the beginning of October and the second this week on Tuesday. Both demonstrations attracted thousands of workers to Greek streets and disrupted public transport and services.
Changes in labor law will allow greater flexibility in working conditions, including overtime, which can extend working hours up to 13 hours. According to the new regulations, the maximum working time, including overtime, is set at 48 hours per week, while the maximum number of overtime hours is set at 150 per year.
The trade unions claim that new rules allow employers to abuse their workers.
According to the government the proposal will create a more efficient and flexible labor market and protect workers from dismissal if they refuse to work overtime. It also insists that the 13-hour working time is voluntary, applies only to the private sector and can be applied for a maximum of 37 days a year.
In Greece, according to the law, there is currently an eight-hour working time with the possibility of working overtime. According to the EU Statistical Office (Eurostat), Greeks work an average of 39.8 hours per week, compared to the European average of 35.8 hours.
