Greece’s parliament on Thursday approved a government-backed bill allowing people to work 13-hour days, despite fierce objections from trade unions and opposition parties.
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Unions have staged two general strikes against the reform this month – the latest on Tuesday – with thousands of workers protesting against a measure “worthy of the Middle Ages”, according to the left-wing Syriza party.
Syriza refused to participate in the vote, and the spokesman for their parliamentary bloc Christos Giannoulis denounced the bill as a “legislative monstrosity”.
The government insists that the 13-hour workday is optional, only affects the private sector and can only be applied up to 37 days a year.
The new measure, which is now law and will come into force soon, allows workers to do longer days for a single employer – those with more than one employer could already work longer hours.
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“We are now giving the possibility [to an employee] to perform this extra work for the same employer, without commuting, with increased pay of 40 per cent,” Labour Minister Niki Kerameus argued in parliament.