【現代奴隸制度？】反歐美潮流而行？希臘推6天工作周 Going Against The Trend? Greece Introduces 6-Day Work Week
當歐美多地企業正試行每周4天工作之時，希臘政府卻反其道而行，自7月1日起於部分行業實施6天工作制，使該國成為歐盟首個推行每周工作六天的國家。然而此舉遭到工會及學者強烈反對，外媒更嘲諷「現代奴隸制度」。
希臘政府於去年通過新法，僱主可把僱員每周工作時間由40小時增至48小時，適用於工業、製造業、農業或需24小時服務的私營企業，員工則可選擇每天額外工作2小時或每周增加8小時輪班，並獲得較正常工資高40%的額外工時的工資。若加班時間是在周日或工眾假期，工資將調高至115%。而由於旅遊業和餐飲業早在2023年就廢除了5天工作制，因此並不包括在新法中。
希臘政府強調，由於希臘面臨人口銳減和技術工人短缺的雙重危機，6天工作制有助推動生產力、促進希臘經濟增長。
據《德國之聲》引述希臘勞動法名譽教授Aris Kazakos指，在6天工作制下，第六天是否工作全由僱主決定，僱員不能反對，希臘僱主在勞資關系中擁有絕對權力。
希臘公務員工會「ADEDY」的執委會成員Akis Sotiropoulos則向《衛報》表示，「當幾乎所有文明國家，都在嘗試4天工作周時，希臘卻決定反其道而行」。現時已有多項研究表明，4天工作周有助提升員工專注度，並提高生產力；Akis直言，要提升生產力，希臘的工作時數應減少，而不是增加。
歐洲統計局數據顯示，在實施6天工作制之前，希臘已是工時最長的歐盟國家，希臘人平均每周工作時數為41小時，而薪酬亦相對較低。《德國之聲》記者指，低工資、長工時、職業發展前景受限之下，希臘工作環境宛如「現代版奴隸制度」。
While companies in Europe and the US are experimenting with a 4-day work week, the Greek government is taking a different approach. Starting from 1st July, Greece has implemented a 6-day work week in certain sectors, making it the first EU country to adopt such a policy. This move has faced strong opposition from labor unions and academics, with foreign media even mocking it as "modern slavery”.
The Greek government passed a new law last year allowing employers to increase the weekly working hours from 40 to 48 in industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, and private sector companies requiring 24-hour services. Employees can choose to work an additional 2 hours per day or add 8 hours to their weekly shift, receiving 40% more than their regular wage for these extra hours. If the overtime is on Sundays or public holidays, the wage increases to 115%. However, the tourism and catering industries, which abolished the 5-day work week in 2023, are not included in the new law.
The Greek government emphasizes that the 6-day work week aims to boost productivity and promote economic growth in response to the country's declining population and shortage of skilled workers.
According to Deutsche Welle（DW）, Aris Kazakos, an honorary professor of labor law in Greece, stated that under the 6-day work week, whether employees work on the sixth day is entirely up to the employer, leaving employees with no choice. This grants Greek employers absolute power in labor relations.
Akis Sotiropoulos, a member of the executive committee of the Greek public sector union ADEDY, told The Guardian, "While almost all civilized countries are trying a 4-day work week, Greece has decided to go the opposite way." Multiple studies have shown that a 4-day work week helps improving employees’ focus and productivity. Akis bluntly stated that, for Greece to increase productivity, Government should achieve it by reducing working hours, not increasing them.
According to Eurostat, before implementing the 6-day work week, Greece already had the longest working hours in the EU, with Greeks working an average of 41 hours per week, with relatively low wages. A DW journalist noted that with low pay, long hours, and limited career prospects, the Greek working environment resembles "modern slavery”.