Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Athens on Wednesday as part of a general strike that brought ferries to a standstill and disrupted public services across Greece, demonstrating against recent changes to the country’s labor laws.
Many demonstrators also waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans in support of Gaza, including “free, free Palestine.”
During the 24-hour strike, taxis and trains in Athens were not operating, while buses, the subway, tram, and trolley services ran on limited schedules. Schools, courts, hospitals, and municipal offices nationwide were also affected.
The strike was organized by unions representing civil servants and private sector workers to oppose labor law reforms that allow extended overtime shifts of up to 13 hours. Under the new regulations, total weekly working hours, including overtime, are capped at 48 hours, with a maximum of 150 overtime hours per year.
Unions argue that the changes leave employees vulnerable to exploitation.
“We reject the 13-hour shift. Exhaustion is not development, human endurance has limits,” said the General Confederation of Workers of Greece, the main private sector union.
It also called for a 37½-hour workweek and the restoration of collective bargaining agreements.