Greek Workers Stage Nationwide Strike Over Draft Labor Bill
Citizens on strike, Greece, Oct. 1, 2025. X/ @ThomasVBoston
October 1, 2025 Hour: 11:38 am
The new law would extend working hours, introduce flexible contracts, and implement a digital work card.
On Wednesday, tens of thousands of workers across Greece staged a 24-hour nationwide strike, disrupting transport and public services in protest against a draft labor bill.
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The strike was organized by Greece’s two largest unions, the General Confederation of Greek Workers and the Civil Servants’Confederation. Demonstrators demanded the withdrawal of measures regulating working hours, restoration of collective bargaining rights, and shorter workweeks.
“Greek lawmakers are set to introduce a bill that would allow employers to demand up to 13 hours of work per day, with employees earning an extra 40% on top of their ordinary wage for the additional hours. However, workers and unions have strongly rejected the plan, calling it ‘a dystopia‘ that would further exacerbate burnout and overwork,” the periodico digital SoMuchInfo reported.
“Under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ conservative government, Greece’s labor market has become one of the most ‘flexible’ in Europe. Employees in various sectors are already forced to work six-day weeks, with paid overtime on the sixth day. The proposed bill would allow employers to demand up to two hours of unpaid overtime per day for a limited period, in return for more time off,” it added.
Public employees, teachers, hospital staff, and port workers joined the walkout. Ferry services were suspended nationwide, while buses and metro operated on limited schedules. Flights, however, were unaffected after a court ruled the air traffic controllers’strike illegal.
Union leaders said working rights are “non-negotiable,” urging the Greek government to engage in dialogue with social partners. Opposition leaders also attended rallies, voicing support for workers’demands.
The draft labor bill, released in July 2025, would extend working hours, introduce flexible contracts, and implement a digital work card. Public consultation on the proposal ended on Sept. 19. The government says the reform aims to modernize the labor market and align regulations with European standards.
teleSUR/ JF
Sources: Xinhua – SoMuchInfo
