Greece protests: 8,000 workers strike against ‘13-hour workday’ reform; calls new bill ‘modern slavery’

Greece protests (Pic credit: AP)

Greece witnessed large-scale disruption on Wednesday as thousands of workers staged a 24-hour general strike against the conservative government’s proposal to allow a 13-hour workday. The strike affected public transport, with trains and ferry services suspended in Athens and Thessaloniki. Teachers, hospital staff and civil servants also joined the protest, amplifying the nationwide shutdown. According to police estimates, more than 8,000 people took to the streets in Athens and Thessaloniki, while other major cities also reported demonstrations. Pro-communist union PAME accused the government of trying to impose “inhumane hours and miserable wages” and reform amounts to “modern slavery”, AFP reported. The backlash is directed at a draft bill proposed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s government, which allows employees to work up to 13 hours a day under “exceptional circumstances,” in exchange for extra pay. Currently, such extended hours are only possible if workers hold two or more jobs. Greece PM Mitsotakis, who has been in power since 2019, has defended the proposal, arguing it gives workers greater flexibility. “We guarantee a freedom of choice for both the employer and the employee. Why would that be antisocial?” he said earlier this month, adding that many young Greeks already hold multiple jobs to cope with living costs. Despite Greece’s economy growing 2.3% last year, wages remain low compared to other EU nations. The minimum wage, though recently raised, stands at €880 ($1,031) per month. For many workers still grappling with inflation and a fragile post-debt crisis recovery, the proposed reform has become a flashpoint of anger.