Greece is experiencing a sweeping general strike that has brought most public services and transport to a standstill, as trade unions protest a proposed labor law that would permit 13-hour workdays. The legislation is expected to be voted on later today in the plenary session of Parliament.
Who’s on Strike & Why
The country’s major unions, ADEDY (the federation of public sector employees) and EKA (the Athens Labor Centre), have declared a 24-hour nationwide strike. Their objections center on provisions in the new labor bill which, according to union statements, would “legalize” a 13-hour workday and erode protections that enshrine the 8-hour norm.
The unions demand the complete withdrawal of the bill, immediate wage increases, the recovery of collective bargaining, and the restoration of the 13th and 14th salaries. They are also calling for stable, permanent employment for all workers.
Protests & Demonstrations
Multiple rallies are planned across Greece, with particularly visible actions in Athens. In the capital:
- 10:30 a.m. — PAME (All-Workers Militant Front) is calling its members to gather at Propylaea (the grand central staircase at the University of Athens).
- 11:00 a.m. — ADEDY and EKA are calling for protesters to converge at Syntagma Square, outside the Hellenic Parliament.
Union federations from Athens, Piraeus, Patras, Larissa, Evia, Ioannina, Corfu, Chania and other regions are participating, involving construction workers, private employees, pharmacists, printing sector employees, accountants, railway workers, and more.
Transport Paralyzed
Rail & Suburban Trains (Proastiakos): All services are halted. Railway workers have joined the strike and no train will run today.
Buses & Trolleys: Will observe working stoppages during morning (until 09:00) and evening (from 21:00 onward), coinciding with shift start and end times.
Metro, Electric Rail (ISAP), and Tram: Services will operate only between 09:00 and 17:00 to allow protesters to travel toward the demonstration zones in the city center.
Ferries & Shipping: National seamen’s unions (PEΜEN, PENEN, PEPRN) have announced a national maritime strike. Departures and arrivals may be disrupted since tugboats will not be available to assist docking and departures.
Taxis: Will continue operating normally, as taxi drivers are not participating in the strike.
Government & Union Tensions
ADEDY has denounced the proposed legislation as “anti-worker” and urged all public sector employees to join the strike. Meanwhile, GSEE (Greece’s main private-sector union federation) is calling for a sweeping worker response: abolish the 13-hour clause, reduce the weekly working hours, and restore free collective bargaining.
The unions declare they are ready to escalate if the bill proceeds, warning the law would dismantle decades of labor gains and convert the right to work into a precarious privilege.
