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3h ago

Greece Hit by Nationwide Strike Over 13-Hour Workday Plan

The government frames the overtime measure as voluntary with 40% extra pay under capped hours.

The Greek capital's main railway station is closed during a nationwide 24-hour strike, as labor unions demand higher wages and the withdrawal of a bill that changes work hours in Athens, Greece, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
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A traveler stands outside the closed main railway station during a nationwide 24-hour strike, as labor unions demand higher wages and the withdrawal of a bill that changes work hours in Athens, Greece, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
People walk outside the closed main railway station during a nationwide 24-hour strike, as labor demand higher wages and the withdrawal of a bill that changes work hours in Athens, Greece, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Overview

  • Ferries were tied up and Athens saw no taxis or trains as buses, the subway, trams and trolleys ran reduced schedules, with disruptions also hitting schools, courts, hospitals and municipalities.
  • The 24-hour walkout was led by GSEE and ADEDY with support from PAME, with protest marches organized in central Athens and other cities around midday.
  • The draft would allow, in exceptional circumstances and with employee consent, shifts of up to 13 hours for a single employer for as many as 37 days per year with a 40% overtime premium.
  • The proposal also sets a cap of 48 working hours per week including overtime, limits annual overtime to 150 hours, and includes additional flexibility measures reported by officials.
  • Unions say the plan endangers health and work–life balance and demand shorter standard weeks and restored collective bargaining, while parliamentary debate on the bill has not yet been scheduled.