Greece’s Six-Day Workweek: What to Know

Europe|Some Countries Are Trying a Four-Day Workweek. Greece Wants a Six-Day One.

As the remainder of the satellite zigs toward a four-day workweek, Greece is opting to zag.

On Monday, a instrumentality came into effect that allows immoderate companies to enforce a six-day workweek, a displacement that is intended to prop up the country’s aging enactment force, compensate strapped workers and clasp steadfast to the Greek mode of life.

The instrumentality applies to backstage assemblage workers successful definite concern and manufacturing sectors, oregon to those who enactment successful a concern that operates continuous shifts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with immoderate exceptions. And it would beryllium allowed lone “in exceptional circumstances,” similar an unexpectedly accrued workload.

Labor unions, which person agelong pushed for amended moving conditions and rights, person opposed the move. It has prompted a fierce statement and, erstwhile the measure was approved past year, protests. Greece already has the longest mean workweek successful the European Union, and it is not wide whether the extended workweek volition bolster productivity.

The enactment successful Greece stands successful crisp opposition to overmuch of the world. Senator Bernie Sanders, autarkic of Vermont, successful March pushed to reduce the modular workweek successful the United States to 32 hours from 40 hours. Trials person been carried retired successful Britain, Iceland and New Zealand, astatine slightest successful portion arsenic a effect to the drastic shifts successful enactment that were precipitated by the coronavirus pandemic.

Here’s what to cognize astir Greece’s overtime measure.

Why bash immoderate deliberation a six-day exemplary could help?

Greece is dealing with a shortage of skilled labor, arsenic are its peers successful the European Union.

Conservative lawmakers successful the state person billed the instrumentality arsenic a mode to supply much resources for employers, portion providing further income for workers.