Workers’ Strike Paralyzes Greece as Labour Reform Bill Sparks Outrage

Protesters gather near the Greek parliament, during a one-day strike as parliament debates a government plan to allow employers to extend working hours and other labour reforms, in Athens.

Greece faced widespread disruption on Tuesday as thousands of workers staged a nationwide strike to protest against the government’s proposed labour reforms. The walkout, organized by the country’s largest public and private sector unions, brought ferries to a standstill, halted train services, and severely reduced public transport operations across major cities.

Teachers, hospital doctors, journalists, and other professionals joined the demonstrations, marching through central Athens toward parliament as lawmakers debated the controversial bill. Protest rallies were also held in Thessaloniki and other major urban centers.

At the heart of the dispute is a draft law that would allow employers in the private sector to extend working hours up to 13 per day, increase flexibility in short-term hiring, and alter rules on annual leave. The government argues the reforms will modernize Greece’s labour market and boost competitiveness, while unions denounce them as a rollback of hard-won workers’ rights.

The strike, the second this month, underscores mounting tensions between the conservative government and organized labour, with unions vowing to continue their resistance as the bill moves closer to a parliamentary vote.