Greece introduces six-day working week to turbocharge productivity; measure criticised

Athens

Greece has introduced a six-day working week to turbocharge productivity. This comes at a time when several countries including Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands have introduced a four-day working week. The initiative (by the Greek government) came into force on Monday (Jul 1), a report by The Guardian said. 

The government said that the initiative was made necessary by the twin perils of a shrinking population and a shortage of skilled workers. This initiative is part of a broader set of labour laws passed in 2023, The Guardian report said. 

A look at the six-day workweek measure

According to officials, the six-day work measure would only apply to businesses providing round-the-clock services. Under the extended working week, staff in select industries and manufacturing facilities would have the option of working an additional two hours a day or an extra eight-hour shift.

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This would be rewarded with a top-up fee of 40 per cent added to the daily wage, the report added.

Fierce criticism of the measure

The measure has been fiercely criticised. Citing critics, The Guardian reported that the measure erodes legal protections and rolls back long-established workers’ rights in the name of flexibility.

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Akis Sotiropoulos, a member of the civil servants’ union Adedy, said a six-day workweek made no sense whatsoever. "When almost every other civilised country is enacting a four-day week, Greece decides to go the other way,” Sotiropoulos said.

“In reality, this has been passed by a government ideologically committed to generating ever bigger profits for capital,” Sotiropoulos added and pointed out that better productivity comes with better work conditions and a better quality of life. 

(With inputs from agencies)