Overview

• Parliament passed the bill with the ruling New Democracy’s majority, as most opposition parties voted against it and Syriza withdrew from the vote.
• The law permits up to 13 hours a day for a maximum of 37 days per year with the same employer, while maintaining a 48-hour weekly limit.
• Government statements cite a 40% premium on the additional hours and reference an annual overtime cap of 150 hours.
• Officials say workers must consent to the longer days and cannot be fired or discriminated against for refusing, with the package also expanding maternity benefits.
• Unions and left parties condemn the change as coercive in practice and held nationwide strikes on 1 and 14 October, as the reform extends a broader shift that included a 2024 six-day workweek measure.