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A massive general strike has plunged the country to a halt, with unions intensifying their demonstrations against proposed labor laws that would implement a thirteen-hour workday in a nation already working some of the lengthiest hours across Europe.

Widespread Disruption Throughout the Country

This day-long strike triggered significant disruption to public services throughout the nation on Wednesday, as thousands of workers from both private and public sectors downed tools and took to the streets.

Across Athens and the second city, public transit were shut down, while hospital staff, educators, and additional civil servants joined the strike. Maritime routes near the Greek capital were vessel-free as ship workers followed strike directives and remained in ferries in ports.

Workers are currently forced to get by on among the lowest wages in the EU and now they’re asking us to effectively work most of the day.

Increasing Resistance to Controversial Workplace Reforms

The business-friendly government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has faced growing opposition over the proposed reforms, with workers arguing they not only infringe upon their entitlements but also destroy any hopes for work-life balance.

This extended workday measure is anticipated to be passed into legislation soon. The adjustment would allow workers to work for thirteen hours, effectively lengthening their presence at the job by as much as five additional hours.

Economic Recovery Despite Low Wages

Although the southern European country has bounced back from a lengthy financial crisis that saw the economy contract by more than 25%, and faced biting austerity enforced in return for international aid, salaries remain significantly lower than other European Union member states at a time when the cost of living has increased sharply.

With 880 euros a month, the base pay – though increased by Mitsotakis’s conservative administration – is among the smallest on the European continent.

Opposition and Concerns Regarding Extended Hours

Opponents have warned that extended office hours could lead to burnout and work accidents. A major union, linked to the leftist party, compared the new measure to “modern slavery”.

Workplace experts have questioned the logic of extending working hours when studies indicates such measures are detrimental to efficiency and the standard of products and services.

Based on European Union data body the statistics office, workers in Greece work on average nearly 40 hours a per week, compared with the EU mean of 35.8 hours.

Earlier Outcry Regarding Six-Day Working Week

Previously, the government sparked a similar outcry by introducing an expanded working week, a optional plan applied to private businesses in the tourist sector and other industries offering around-the-clock operations. Labor groups deplored the measure as “inhumane”.

Administration Justification of the Proposal

After assuming office in 2019, the Prime Minister has stated he wants to make the job market more flexible by reducing the influence of labor organizations, such as group bargaining.

The labour minister, the official, says the latest law has been designed to improve that adaptability, stating the 13-hour regulation will only be applied in “exceptional” situations.

Justifying the proposal, the leader argued it would give young people, who frequently work multiple jobs to get by, the opportunity to work additional time for a single employer.

Whereas the rest of Europe discusses a shorter working week, in Greece, in the modern era, it’s focused on longer hours and salaries that don’t reflect the cost of living.

Public Response and Upcoming Fears

A protester, aged 55, an worker in a privately owned manufacturing company, said she felt obliged to participate in the protests out of concern that many would fall victim to labor abuses as a consequence of the new law.

“It’s awful that so many of us are forced to rely on state aid to cover our heating and additional expenses,” she added. “We aren’t here pleading or making demands. We’re here because there are many at-risk people out there who will struggle to negotiate with employers after regulations like this are enacted.”