Greece labour law protests bring public transport to a halt

"A nationwide strike in Greece over government plans to amend labour laws to allow extended working hours has paralysed public transport and disrupted other public services. Taxis and trains in Athens will be unavailable during the 24-hour strike on Wednesday, while buses, as well as the city's subway, tram and trolley services, scale back operations. Ferries were tied up in port."

"Under the new regulations, working hours that include overtime would be capped at 48 hours per week, with a maximum of 150 overtime hours allowed per year. Unions argue the new rules would leave workers vulnerable to labour abuses by employers. We say no to the 13-hour [shift]. Exhaustion is not development, human tolerance has limits, the private sector umbrella union, General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), said in a statement."

"The reform, GSEE said, endangers the health and safety of workers and destroys the balance between professional and personal life. It called for a 37-and-a-half-hour working week and the return of collective bargaining agreements. Greece's conservative government, however, argues that the proposed changes would benefit workers who want a more flexible labour market, including the option to work more. It stressed the reform would"

Unions in Greece launched a 24-hour nationwide strike that paralysed public transport and disrupted public services to oppose planned labour law changes. Taxis and trains in Athens were unavailable while buses and other urban transit scaled back operations. The strike interrupted schools, courts, hospitals and municipalities. Proposed changes would allow overtime stretching shifts to 13 hours, cap total working hours including overtime at 48 per week and permit up to 150 overtime hours a year. Unions warned rules could enable employer abuse, endanger health and erode work-life balance; they demanded a 37.5-hour week and restoration of bargaining agreements. The government said the reform would increase worker flexibility.

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