Transport systems, hospitals and schools hit, as workers say laws kill hopes of work-life balance

Transport systems, hospitals and schools hit, as workers say laws kill hopes of work-life balance

A general strike has paralysed Greece as unions step up industrial action against labour laws introducing a 13-hour work day in a country that already puts in some of the longest hours in Europe.

The 24-hour strike brought mass disruption to services across the country on Wednesday as thousands of workers in the public and private sector stopped work and took to the streets.

In both Athens and Thessaloniki, the country’s second biggest city, transport systems were halted, while hospital staff, teachers and other civil servants stopped working. The seas around the Greek capital were vessel-free as crews, heeding union calls, kept ferries in ports.

  • JohnEdwa@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    1·
    3 hours ago

    Technically it would, as the law change is to allow 13 hour days, not to force them. Same as the previous one that allowed six-day work weeks.

    I’m assuming it’s similar to how it’s here in Finland, where the law generally limits work days to 8 hours and a maximum of 40 hours a week. Changing those legal limits wouldn’t directly cause anyone to have to do more work, but it would now be legal - Finland has a few exceptions to it as well, some jobs have the limit be 80 hours per two weeks for example to allow longer/more days crunched together.

    If it’s combined with a limit, like “The law now allows up to 13 hour days or six hour work weeks as long as it’s under 40 hours a week”, then in theory it’s a good thing - being able to choose anything between 13h x 3d and 7h x 6d depending on what works best for the job would be useful. The problem obviously is “Hey, you are fine with 13 hour days six days a week right? Oh you aren’t? Well there’s the door we’ll find someone desperate and stupid enough to replace you.”