greece six day work week – After 15 years of recession and austerity and three rescue packages that came with difficult conditions, labor in Greece is no longer strictly regulated.
Collective agreements have been put on hold for years, and in many businesses, employees work on the basis of individual employment contracts.
While the 40-hour work week is still officially in effect, employers require employees to work up to two unpaid hours per day for limited periods in exchange for more free time.
In principle, this additional work is voluntary. In reality, however, workers at many businesses and workplaces are forced to work long hours without receiving any form of compensation. greece six day work week
Officials – who are themselves understaffed – rarely check to make sure that labor law is being followed. Ensuring that the authorities can carry out such surveillance operations effectively is not a priority for the conservative government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Greeks work the longest hours in Europe but even before the law on the six-day work week came into force on July 1, Greek workers work more hours than any other workforce in Europe. With an average of 41 hours per week, they work more than all other EU citizens, according to the EU’s statistics agency Eurostat. Moreover, the salary they receive for these long hours is below European standards.
Greece ranks 15th in the EU in this regard, with a minimum monthly salary of 830 euros ($887). In terms of purchasing power, it ranks second in Europe. greece six day work week
From July 1, many workers in industry, retail, agriculture and some service sectors will have to do a six-day work week if their employers decide it is necessary. Supplementary payment of 40% of daily wages will be made for the sixth day of labour.
The hospitality sector has been excluded from this regulation since the five-day work week was abolished there in 2023.
“Law 5053/2023 will eliminate the five-day work week for good,” says Aris Kazakos, professor emeritus of labor law in Thessaloniki and a well-known legal expert. He warned about the negative impact of giving full power to employers in labor relations. Since the employer has the right to require employees to work on the sixth day of the week, employees cannot refuse to work.
Kazakos favors collective wage agreements, however, which are increasingly being limited by legislation passed by the ruling conservative New Democracy (ND) government.
“When it comes to personal interactions, the employer holds absolutely all the cards and can dictate practically any terms they want, with the exception of the minimum rights set out in the labour law,” says Kazakos, adding that if the laws are relaxed, these minimum protections will also be revoked.
“Because the employer can set working conditions that are beneficial to him, it means that the labour relationship becomes a regime of injustice, because anything in the labour relationship that benefits only one party can never be fair,” he told DW.
The official reason for the introduction of the six-day work week is that there is a shortage of skilled workers in the Greek labor market. Ultimately, the law means overtime will become cheaper for employers who don’t have to hire more employees.
In most European countries, trade unions are fighting for a reduction in working hours without a reduction in wages. Its purpose, among other things, is to promote employment. The argument is that a 35-hour or four-day work week limits overtime, forcing employers to hire additional employees.
In addition, studies have shown that this model increases the productivity and desire to work of employees. Kazakos told DW that the new Greek regulation on the six-day work week and the reduction in arbitration proceedings that comes with it are turning back the clock.
He warned that the burden of the six-day work week increases safety risks for employees in industrial areas. Even today, the number of workplace accidents in Greece is high. A total of 179 workers died in workplace accidents in 2023, up from 104 the year before.
Greeks want to work abroad.
Faced with low wages, limited career opportunities, and long working hours without decent compensation, many Greeks seek work abroad. In addition, an increasing number are refusing to work in tourism because many see working conditions in this sector as akin to modern slavery.
Seasonal workers on popular holiday islands such as Mykonos and Santorini already work seven days a week. In addition, many people live in crowded housing. It’s not rare for ten people to share the same living and sleeping space.
Source link : https://www.cgwall.com/usa/greece-six-day-work-week-greece-has-introduced-a-six-day-work-week-2/
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Publish date : 2024-07-03 08:26:57
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