General workers’ strike in Greece slows cities

ATHENS—Ferries, trains, and buses shut down or ran with reduced schedules in Greece on Wednesday as workers protested new labor legislation that would allow 13-hour workdays. Thousands of people marched through Athens and other cities to protest the bill. The Parliament proposed the measure in June, but as of Oct. 1, they had not put it to a vote. The law is supposed to streamline Greece’s hiring process and loosen labor restrictions. Proponents say the law has appropriate safeguards for workers and would allow them to earn more without having to get a second job.

What do the protesters say? Giota Spanou, a demonstrator who said she was with a union representing the Athens Metro train system, told WORLD that a 13-hour workday would ruin her balance of work and life. It would also likely make conditions more dangerous, with some workers operating on little sleep and for long hours, she said. Workers will go on another strike if their demands are not met, Athena, a protester with a hotel workers’ union, told WORLD. 

How did Greece get here? Greece has been slowly rebuilding its economy and trying to reduce debt since the country went bankrupt in 2009 and the European Union bailed it out. Since the pandemic, Greece’s economic recovery has outpaced many other countries in the EU. Moody’s also upgraded the country’s credit rating this year based on an improvement in public finances and the country’s greater resilience to future shocks.