Transport and public services in Greece were disrupted on Wednesday as thousands of workers staged a 24-hour general strike against government plans to introduce a 13-hour workday.

Greek trains, ferries and taxis were halted, while teachers, hospital staff and civil servants also took part in the walkout. The strike was organised by Greece’s largest private and public trade unions, GSEE and ADEDY, who say that the government bill, which would allow employers to seek up to 13 hours of work a day from their staff compared with the current eight, hurts workers’ rights.

Police said over 8,000 people in Athens and Thessaloniki were protesting, with other major cities also seeing demonstrations. Thousands of workers marched to parliament in Athens carrying banners that read: “No to slavery.”

“We are here to say no to a monstrous bill,” said Dimitra, a 24-year-old sales assistant. “Stop it! We are not machines.”

The main private sector union GSEE has said the reform “endangers the health and safety of workers and destroys the balance between professional and personal life.” Pro-communist union PAME accused the government of seeking to introduce “modern slavery” for workers and force them to endure “inhumane hours and miserable wages.”

“This law will not improve anything,” said Panagiotis Gakas, a member of the construction workers’ union. “Workplace accidents often occur during overtime hours when workers are exhausted,” the 59-year-old said, noting that the union has already recorded 20 fatal working accidents in its sector.

Hairdresser and union member Notis Skouras said: “With this law, workers will no longer have a private life and for what? To satisfy employers and increase their profits! Has the economic and social situation improved in Greece? I think today’s events are a good answer to this question. Rents have increased, salaries have stagnated, and working conditions are not improving.”

Teacher Violetta Galanopoulou, 42, added: “Is it really a solution to exhaust workers and make them work so many hours a day at the risk of endangering their lives and mental health?”

Public sector workers say the government should increase wages instead. “This bill only extends the exploitation of workers, smashes labour rights and our families’ incomes,” said Veta Papoutsakou, 65, a public sector union representative.

Government defends bill

The draft law, which also gives employers more flexibility on short-term hirings and amends rules on annual leave in the private sector, is expected to be submitted to parliament this month.

The bill allows staff to work 13 hours a day for the same employer under exceptional circumstances, for extra pay. Labour Minister Niki Kerameus has stressed the measure is “exceptional” and will in no way be generalised.

“It is a provision… valid for up to 37 days per year… only with the employee’s consent and with 40 percent increased pay,” she told Mega TV this week.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in power since 2019, has also defended the reform. “We guarantee a freedom of choice for both the employer and the employee. Why would that be antisocial?” he said earlier this month.

Mitsotakis has noted that many young people currently have two jobs and want to work more to earn more. “We guarantee a freedom of choice,” he said.

With AAP and AFP