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A massive national walkout has plunged Greece to a halt, with unions intensifying their protests against proposed labor laws that would introduce a thirteen-hour workday in a nation already logging some of the longest hours across Europe.

Mass Disruption Across the Nation

This day-long strike caused significant chaos to services throughout the nation on Wednesday, as countless of workers from both public and private sectors stopped work and took to the streets.

In both Athens and Thessaloniki, public transit were shut down, while hospital staff, teachers, and additional civil servants participated in the industrial action. Maritime routes around the Athens were vessel-free as ferry crews followed union calls and remained in ferries in harbors.

Workers are already forced to survive on some of the lowest wages in the EU and now they’re expecting us to practically work most of the day.

Increasing Opposition to Proposed Labor Changes

The pro-business administration of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has encountered growing opposition over the proposed changes, with employees arguing they not only violate their entitlements but also destroy any prospects for a balanced life.

This extended workday proposal is expected to be passed into law this month. The change would allow workers to clock in for 13 hours, effectively extending their time at the workplace by as much as five hours.

Economic Recovery Amid Low Wages

While the Mediterranean nation has bounced back from a prolonged debt crisis that saw the GDP shrink by over a quarter, and endured biting budget cuts enforced in return for bailout aid, wages remain significantly lower than other EU member states at a time when the living expenses has increased dramatically.

With 880 euros per month, the minimum wage – even though raised by the current centre-right administration – is among the lowest on the European continent.

Opposition and Worries Over Extended Hours

Opponents have warned that longer office hours could lead to exhaustion and work accidents. Pame, affiliated to the leftist party, compared the new measure to “contemporary servitude”.

Workplace specialists have questioned the logic of increasing working hours when studies shows such policies are detrimental to efficiency and the standard of products and services.

Based on European Union data body the statistics office, Greeks work on typically nearly 40 hours a per week, compared with the EU average of 35.8 hours.

Earlier Controversy Regarding Six-Day Work Week

Last year, the administration caused a comparable outcry by enacting a six-day working week, a voluntary plan applied to companies in tourism and other industries providing around-the-clock services. Labor groups deplored the policy as “barbaric”.

Administration Justification of the Measure

Since assuming office in July 2019, the Prime Minister has said he wants to make the labor market flexible by curtailing the power of unions, such as group bargaining.

The minister for labor, Niki Kerameus, says the new legislation has been crafted to improve that flexibility, stating the 13-hour regulation will only be used in “exceptional” circumstances.

Defending the proposal, the leader argued it would give young people, who often work two jobs to make ends meet, the opportunity to work additional time for a single company.

Whereas the rest of Europe talks about a shorter working week, in Greece, in the modern era, it’s focused on more work and wages that don’t reflect the living costs.

Citizen Reaction and Upcoming Fears

Katerina Andritsopoulou, aged 55, an employee in a privately owned manufacturing company, stated she felt obliged to participate in Wednesday’s demonstrations out of concern that many would succumb to workplace exploitation as a result of the change.

“It’s terrible that a large number of of us are obliged to depend on government benefits to cover our utility and other costs,” she said. “We’re not here pleading or making demands. We are protesting because there are many vulnerable people out there who will struggle to negotiate with employers once laws like this are enacted.”