ATHENS, Greece — As countries around the globe flirt with the idea of downsizing to a four-day workweek in response to the modern demands for work-life balance, Greece has taken a counterintuitive step. The nation recently implemented a new labor regulation mandating a six-day workweek under certain conditions, a move that has sparked considerable controversy among the workforce and labor unions.
Under the new law, which is officially referred to as Law 5053/2023, employees may be required to work up to an additional day while being compensated with a 40% overtime rate. This law was passed by the Greek Parliament last fall and stipulates that no worker should labor for more than eight hours on their sixth day.
This decision coincides with reports of increasing enthusiasm for shorter workweeks in other parts of the world, where businesses have observed boosts in productivity and employee satisfaction as a result of lessening work hours.
The Greek government, led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, argues that the policy is a necessary remedy for the economic pressures of a declining population and a dearth of skilled labor. According to officials, the extended workweek could help curb undeclared work and increase employee earnings, as stated in public announcements from the labor ministry.
However, the reception among the Greek people has been less than favorable. Many employees are expressing distress over the demand to increase their working hours, especially during a period characterized by significant rises in living costs. They argue that the new law excessively burdens workers without offering substantial economic benefits.
The law mainly affects companies that operate continuously around-the-clock or those that handle heavy shift work due, for instance, to unpredictable increases in workload. Before instituting a six-day week, employers are obliged to notify a labor inspector.
Notably, the legislation does not apply across all industries. For instance, the hotel and hospitality sectors have previously had strategies in place that already extended the workweek to six days. Despite this, the Athens Labor Unions Organization expressed discontent, noting the new rule’s potential adverse effects on workers’ wellbeing.
In the wake of this controversial change, several union-led protests have occurred, highlighting a growing division between the government’s economic strategies and the public’s acceptance of such reforms.
Economically, while Greece continues to recover from a severe financial crisis that peaked several years ago, its progress is slow. The national minimum wage recently saw an increase, the fourth in the last five years, rising to 830 euros ($897) per month this spring. A plan proposed by the former Minister of Labor and Social Security aims to further increase this to 950 euros ($1,027) within the next four years.
Greece sits in a complex position. It records the seventh highest average working time among OECD countries, yet it ranks near the bottom in terms of average wages. As the government steers through these turbulent economic waters, the responses to its labor policies may serve as a significant indicator of public sentiment and the likely success of such measures in dealing with the nation’s economic challenges.