Greece faced widespread disruption on Tuesday as public and private sector workers staged a nationwide strike against the government’s controversial labour reform bill, which seeks to extend private-sector working hours from 8 to 13 hours per day. Ships remained docked, public transport was paralysed, and hospitals, schools, and media outlets were affected as thousands rallied across Athens and other major cities.
The strike, led by the country’s two largest unions GSEE and ADEDY coincides with a parliamentary debate on the reforms proposed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s conservative government. This is the second major walkout in a month, highlighting growing public resistance to the government’s push for what it calls a “modern, flexible” labour framework.
Why It Matters
The proposed reforms strike at the heart of Greece’s long-standing tension between post-crisis economic liberalisation and worker protection. The government argues that the bill will align Greece with “21st-century labour trends,” including options for four-day work weeks and protection for employees refusing excessive overtime.
However, unions argue that these changes will erode workers’ rights, increase exploitation, and reverse hard-won protections achieved after Greece’s devastating 2009–2018 debt crisis. Despite economic recovery and falling unemployment, wages remain among the lowest in the EU, and Greeks already work the longest hours in Europe, according to Eurostat.
Greek Government: Claims the reforms will create a more dynamic, efficient labour market and enhance productivity.
Trade Unions (GSEE and ADEDY): Leading the protests, arguing the law amounts to “legalised exploitation” and weakens collective bargaining rights.
Opposition Parties: Including the New Left, have called for the bill’s withdrawal, with lawmaker Effie Achtsioglou labelling it “paid slavery.”
Private Sector Employers: Some welcome the added flexibility but face backlash from workers and unions warning of worsening job conditions.
EU Observers: Monitoring whether Greece’s economic liberalisation comes at the cost of social stability and labour protections.
What’s Next
The bill is expected to go to a vote later this week, with the Mitsotakis government likely to push it through given its parliamentary majority. However, continued unrest could test the government’s political stability and strain Greece’s image as a reformed, post-crisis economy.
Labour unions have vowed to intensify protests if the reforms are passed, signalling that Greece’s social tensions long dormant since the financial crisis could return to the forefront.
With information from Reuters.
