A new study by the Labor Institute of the Greek General Confederation of Labor (GSEE) reveals troubling insights into the working hours and conditions of Greek workers. The research highlights that many workers in Greece routinely exceed their contracted hours without proper compensation, raising concerns about labor rights and employee well-being.

Long Hours and Overtime

The survey found that 52% of respondents work additional hours beyond what is outlined in their contracts. Among them, 15% reported working 1 to 2 extra hours per week, while 14% worked 3 to 5 extra hours. Smaller yet significant portions of workers logged 6 to 8 extra hours (8%), 8 to 10 hours (5%), and over 10 hours (9%) weekly.

Extended Workdays and Weekends

Long workdays are also common. Thirty percent of employees stated they work more than 10 hours a day at least twice a month, while 11% do so monthly. Weekend work is similarly widespread, with 41% of workers putting in hours on more than two weekends per month and 15% working at least one weekend. This means that over half (56%) of workers sacrifice at least one weekend each month for work.

Compensation Gaps

One of the most striking findings is the lack of fair compensation for overtime. Nearly half of the respondents (49%) reported receiving no pay for extra hours, and 16% were only partially compensated. In total, 65% of workers stated that they are either unpaid or underpaid for their overtime, with just 34% receiving full payment for their additional hours.

Night Shifts and Shift Changes

Night shifts are less frequent, with 82% of workers never working nights, but 15% doing so more than twice a month. When it comes to shift changes, 38% do not work in shifts, and 53% reported that changes are rare or non-existent. However, 9% experienced frequent unplanned shift changes, impacting their work-life balance.

Remote Work and Personal Time

Remote work remains limited, with 84% of respondents not engaging in telework. Among those who do, 44% work remotely a few times a month, 38% a few times a week, and 16% daily. Additionally, 25% of workers said they often had to work during their free time to meet job demands.