General strike in Greece over 13-hour workday plans

Greece will grind to a halt connected Wednesday successful a 24-hour wide strike against plans by the blimpish authorities to present a 13-hour workday.

Transport successful Athens, trains and ferry services will beryllium disrupted while teachers, infirmary staff, and civilian servants are besides taking portion successful the mobilisation.

Protests are planned astir midday crossed the state to reason the betterment advocated by the blimpish authorities of Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The main backstage assemblage union GSEE, which is spearheading the walkout alongside nationalist assemblage union ADEDY, has said the betterment “endangers the wellness and information of workers and destroys the equilibrium betwixt nonrecreational and idiosyncratic life”.

Pro-communist union PAME has accused the authorities of seeking to present “modern slavery” for workers and unit them to endure “inhumane hours and miserable wages”.

The union has besides rejected what it called “a ruthless deregulation that is rapidly progressing” successful Greece since the 2009 indebtedness crisis.

Fragile economy

The measure connected the reform, which has not yet been submitted to parliament, allows staff to work 13 hours a time for the aforesaid leader under exceptional circumstances, for other pay.

In a state where the system has recovered since the indebtedness situation but remains fragile, this anticipation already exists — but lone if an worker has two oregon much employers.

Mitsotakis, successful powerfulness since 2019, has noted that galore young radical presently person two jobs and want to work much to gain more.

“We warrant a state of prime for some the leader and the employee. Why would that beryllium antisocial?” helium said earlier this month.

Labour Minister Niki Kerameus has stressed the measurement is “exceptional” and will successful nary way beryllium generalised.

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

Despite falling unemployment and sustained maturation — which according to the European Commission clocked 2.3 percent past year — debased wages stay a large interest of the system and 1 of Greeks’ main concerns, on with the precocious outgo of living.

The minimum wage, though raised, stands astatine 880 euros per month.

Parliament has not yet included treatment of the draught instrumentality successful its calendar, according to its property service.

According to Eurostat, Greeks connected mean work 39.8 hours a week compared to the EU mean of 35.8 hours.

In the tourism sector, during highest season, servers and cooks work extended days, sometimes without immoderate weekly rest.

The ineligible working time successful Greece is 8 hours, with the anticipation of performing paid overtime.

Greece has already established the anticipation of a six-day working week, particularly during precocious request successful definite sectors such arsenic tourism.

Source: Agence France-Presse