On October 1, 2025, Greece ground to a halt as a sweeping general strike rippled across the country, paralyzing public transport, stopping ferries in their tracks, and shuttering schools, courts, and hospitals. The cause? A fiercely contested overhaul of the nation’s labor laws, which unions say will push Greek workers to the brink of exhaustion and erode hard-won protections.
From the early hours, Athens felt the impact. Taxis and trains vanished from city streets, while buses, subways, trams, and trolleys only ran on skeleton schedules. Ferries—so vital to Greece’s island life—were tied up in port, leaving travelers stranded. As reported by the Associated Press, the disruption extended well beyond the capital, affecting local government services, public hospitals, and schools across the country.
Two massive protest marches converged in central Athens, with similar demonstrations erupting in cities nationwide. The country’s two largest unions, the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) and the Civil Servants’ Confederation (ADEDY), spearheaded the 24-hour strike, uniting public and private sector employees in a rare show of solidarity. Teachers’ unions, railway and ferry workers, and municipal employees all joined the walkout, amplifying the strike’s reach and intensity, according to Greek Reporter.
Yet, even as much of Greece stood still, one sector kept moving: air travel. A Greek court had intervened just a day earlier, blocking the Hellenic Air Traffic Controllers’ Union from participating in the strike. As a result, scheduled flights continued without interruption, highlighting the legal and operational complexities of labor actions in essential services.
At the heart of the uproar is the government’s recently passed “Fair Work for All” law. The legislation introduces a raft of changes: employees may now work up to ten hours a day for four days a week throughout the year, with the possibility—under voluntary agreement—of shifts stretching to thirteen hours a day, capped at 37 days annually. Overtime comes with a 40% pay bump, and the total working week, including overtime, is set at a maximum of 48 hours, with up to 150 overtime hours allowed per year. Flexible scheduling is now permitted, with employers able to arrange working hours weekly or continuously, provided employees give their consent.
Proponents of the reform, including Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Labor Minister Niki Kerameos, argue that the changes modernize Greece’s labor market and offer workers greater flexibility. As Kerameos explained to reporters, "This is merely about allowing exceptions on 37 days a year in the interests of employees." Mitsotakis has also defended the move, saying, "We guarantee a freedom of choice for both the employer and the employee. Why would that be antisocial?" The government insists that no one will be forced to work longer hours and that employees are protected from dismissal if they refuse extra shifts. The reform, they claim, is designed to adapt Greek legislation to the realities of today’s economy and to give workers the option to earn more if they wish.
But unions and labor experts see things very differently. The GSEE, which represents private sector workers, has been especially vocal, declaring in a statement, "We say no to the 13-hour [shift]. Exhaustion is not development, human tolerance has limits." The union is demanding a 37.5-hour workweek and the return of collective bargaining agreements, arguing that the new rules will leave workers vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. "Greek workers, who already work more hours per year than any of their colleagues in the European Union, and many of whom report suffering from burnout and overwork, are facing a dystopia. Enough is enough. We can't take it anymore," the GSEE leadership proclaimed in its call for the strike.
Labor experts echo these concerns. Theodoros Koutroukis, a professor of labor relations at Democritus University of Thrace, warned that extending daily working hours would likely reduce job satisfaction and productivity, potentially degrading the quality of goods and services and even raising labor costs. "This is not possible without consequences, because the employee only has minimal bargaining power," Koutroukis told Deutsche Welle. He suggested that if extra hours are truly needed, they should be negotiated through collective bargaining and only allowed in exceptional cases.
Beyond the immediate controversy, the strike has also cast a spotlight on deeper, persistent challenges in the Greek labor market. Despite falling unemployment and economic growth—2.3% last year, according to the European Commission—low wages and the soaring cost of living remain major worries for many Greeks. The minimum wage, although recently raised, stands at €880 ($1,031) per month, a level that leaves many workers struggling to make ends meet. Eurostat data shows Greeks work an average of 1,886 hours per year, more than any other European nation, yet their productivity and purchasing power lag well behind the European Union average.
For many, these economic realities mean holding down two jobs or relying on overtime just to cover basic expenses. The government’s reforms, critics argue, do little to address these underlying issues and instead risk normalizing excessive workloads. As one Athens salon owner, Anni, put it to Deutsche Welle, "I can't work 13 hours a day, and I don't expect that from my employees." She doubts her clients would be satisfied with the work of an exhausted beautician either.
The new law doesn’t just lengthen workdays. It also proposes more flexible vacation days, short-term allocation of up to 120 minutes of overtime per day, and new requirements for employee contact via apps. The government frames these changes as necessary to meet "urgent company needs" and to position Greece as a more competitive, adaptable economy within Europe.
Yet, as labor unrest flares, the government faces mounting pressure to reconsider its approach. Unions are adamant that collective bargaining and shorter workweeks—like the 35-hour or four-day models gaining traction elsewhere in Europe—are the path to a healthier, more productive workforce. The GSEE’s rallying cry for the October 1 strike—"exhaustion is not recovery, human resilience has limits"—captures the mood of many Greek workers who feel their tolerance has reached its end.
As the dust settles from this massive strike, Greece finds itself at a crossroads. The coming months will test whether the government can find common ground with unions, or whether the country will see further waves of industrial action. What’s certain is that the debate over work, wages, and well-being in Greece is far from over—and the eyes of Europe are watching closely.
