Greece, up to recently famously known for its laid-back lifestyle, is now set to become the first country in the European Union to officially introduce a 13-hour workday for the private sector.
These are to affect factory workers, cashiers and hotel staff in Greece.
Greece’s parliament approved the bill, as protest rallies abided across the country.
This month alone, Greece saw two nation-wide strikes, as unions demand the bill be taken back. Public transport and services were halted.
It passed comfortably with the votes of the ruling New Democracy party, despite pushback from unions and opposition parties.
The new six-day schedule has already introduced an additional 40% of normal wages on the sixth day.
The centre-right government prides itself on what it considers a flexible labor market.
This was deemed necessary due to Greece’s aging population, its shrinking birth rate, and the huge shortage of skilled workers.
The bill also foresees employers being able to fragment annual leave in order to address “urgent company needs”.
Unions see it as the legalizaion of exploitation, particularly given Greece’s lacunae in workplace inspections.
But the government sees itself as finally bouncing back after a financial crisis that lasted a decade.
Unemployment was shocking, standing at 28%, compared to 8% in the EU.
Salaries still remain low, as in all of Eastern Europe.
But housing cost are high, and at this point, one in five Greeks works over 45 hours a week to make ends meet.
Nevertheless, labor market experts insist that a 13-hour shift would lead to both burnout and increased accidents in the workplace.
