Greece's parliament approved a bill on Thursday allowing private sector employers to extend working hours despite protests from workers already struggling from a cost-of-living crisis.
The bill, which allows employers to enforce 13-hour work days, up from the current eight hours, aims to make the labour market more flexible and effective, the conservative government says.
But the proposal has triggered two general strikes this month by workers who see it as a move to undermine their rights just as they are struggling with stagnating wages and the rising costs of food and rent.
"When the rest of Europe is in discussions to reduce working hours, in Greece we increase them," said 41-year-old barman Themis Lytras, who said his rent had doubled over the past two years.
Greece already has among the longest working weeks in Europe at around 40 hours, EU data shows, against an average 34 hours worked in Germany or 32 in the Netherlands.
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