Thousands Strike Across Greece Against Proposed 13-Hour Workday Reform

Thousands of Greek workers staged a 24-hour general strike and mass demonstrations against proposed labor reforms allowing up to a 13-hour workday, causing widespread disruption across public transport, hospitals, schools, and other services nationwide. The strike, supported by major unions including those affiliated with the Communist party, criticized the government bill as "modern slavery" and a threat to workers' rights and work-life balance. The conservative government under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis defends the reforms as offering greater flexibility and overtime pay, but unions argue they will increase worker exploitation and burnout, especially given Greece's relatively low wages and fragile post-debt crisis recovery. Protesters also called for a return to a 37.5-hour workweek and the reinstatement of collective bargaining agreements. The bill, expected to be passed soon, would allow employers to extend working hours to 13 hours on certain days, capped at 48 hours per week with a maximum of 150 overtime hours annually, sparking fears of labor abuse. The strike highlighted broader discontent with economic conditions and labor rights in Greece, with thousands marching in Athens and other cities to oppose the reforms and demand better protections for workers.