Greek Parliament passes law on 13-hour working day

The 13-hour working day is law in Greece. The proposal presented by the conservative government of Nea Dimokratia was approved by the Greek Parliament, where the party holds a majority.

The details of the project were outlined by Labour Minister Niki Kerameos, in response to protests from the opposition and trade unions: 'There are workers,' she said in Parliament, 'who ask to be able to work longer hours, and those who do not want to work overtime will be protected. Some workers today move between a first and a second employer on the same day, without earning even half a euro more. The law stipulates that the 13-hour days, which will be on a voluntary basis, will be no more than 37 per year, and the extra work will be rewarded with a 40% pay increase.

The proposal, now approved by the parliament, had triggered protests in recent days. According to Nikos Androulakis, leader of the Hellenic Socialist Party, workers' rights are being 'dismantled'. Sokratis Famellos, president of Syriza (radical left and progressive alliance), emphasised that 'Greece is a country of poor employees, who work more than the European average but are paid less and cannot make ends meet'.

According to Eurostat data, in fact, workers in Greece are close to 40 hours per week, while the average in EU countries is 36. The General Confederation of Greek Workers points out that many will not be able to say no to the 13 hours 'given the imbalance of power between employer and employee' and that the reform 'jeopardises the health and safety of employees and destroys any balance between personal and professional life'.