Greece.- Greek labor reform comes into force that allows six-day work a week – Spain

This Monday, a legislative reform came into force that allows volunteer work for up to a total of 48 hours over a six-day working week in an initiative that aims to improve productivity and attract foreign investment.

The initiative of the conservative government led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis aims to improve the use of qualified personnel as well as reduce the shadow economy. Inflation has forced many employees to look for a second job, but this measure aims to improve conditions with a single job.

The extension of hours can only be applied to certain sectors such as factories or small businesses, as well as companies that provide uninterrupted service. Tourism and hospitality are excluded.

This measure has been strongly criticized by unions for being contrary to labor rights, who recall that it goes in the opposite direction to the trend of other European countries, such as Germany, Belgium, France, Iceland or the United Kingdom, which propose to cut the number of hours per week to 40 or reduce working days from five to four, with shifts of ten instead of eight hours.

“This is outrageous” for Akis Sotiropoulos of the AD civil servants union. “It makes no sense,” he insisted. “When almost all civilised countries implement a four-day week, Greece has decided to go in the opposite direction.”