Some countries are trying a four-day workweek. Greece wants a six-day week.

While the rest of the world is increasingly moving to a four-day workweek, Greece is choosing not to.

A law came into effect on Monday allowing some companies to implement a six-day workweek, a move aimed at supporting the country’s aging workforce, compensating workers with disabilities and holding on to the Greek way of life.

The law applies to private sector workers in certain industrial and manufacturing sectors, or those who work in a company that operates 24/7 shifts, with some exceptions. And it would only be allowed “in exceptional circumstances,” such as an unexpectedly increased workload.

Trade unions, which have long pushed for better working conditions and rights, are opposing the measure. It has sparked fierce debate and, when the bill was approved last year, protests. Greece already has the longest average working week in the European Union and it is not clear whether the extended workweek will boost productivity.

The action in Greece stands in stark contrast to much of the world. Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, pushed in March to reduce the standard workweek in the United States from 40 hours to 32. Trials have been conducted in Britain, Iceland and New Zealand, at least partly in response to the dramatic changes to work caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

This is what you need to know about Greece’s overtime regulations.

Why do some people think a six-day model might help?

Greece is facing a shortage of skilled workers, just like his kind in the European Union.

Conservative lawmakers in the country have presented the law as a way to provide more resources to employers while also giving workers additional income.

The extra day, said Niki Kerameus, Minister of Labor and Social Insurance, will give employers the opportunity to meet “urgent operational demands” that cannot be met given the current supply of workers, and will also put more money in workers’ pockets.

Under the law, workers get an extra 40 percent on their sixth day, rising to 115 percent if that day falls on a Sunday or a holiday. Some workers are already working more than 40 hours a week without pay, and proponents of the new measure say it protects them by requiring employers to claim extra hours from the government.

The labor shortage is partly due to the financial crisis that began in 2009. Large numbers of workers, mainly young Greeks, moved abroad in search of better prospects. In addition, some companies cut back on training and development, exacerbating the problem.

The boom that followed brought welcome financial relief, but it also left employers short-staffed when the economy picked up again. Greece has struggled to cope with a huge influx of migrants in recent years, but is now offering residence and work permits to some established migrants, and signing agreements with other countries to bring in more workers for certain sectors, such as agriculture.

How have critics responded?

The Greek government has attempted to downplay the implications of the measure, stressing that it was an “exceptional measure” that “does not affect in any way the established five-day working week”, Ms Kerameus said.

But many, especially on the left, are angry.

Syriza, the left-wing opposition party, condemned what it called “a return to 19th century working conditions that shame the country.”

Nikos Fotopoulos, the secretary general of the Greek private sector trade union, criticised the measure in an open letter to Ms Kerameus, the labour minister, calling the government “the most barbaric, most anti-worker government ever.”

Nearly one in five Greek adults was at risk of poverty last year, according to the research institute of the Greek trade union for private sector employees, and Mr Fotopoulos said the government’s argument that workers could miss the extra day did not hold up.

“What worker, with the unemployment and poverty we have, would dare to say no to unchecked employers who allow you to treat workers like slaves?” wrote Mr. Fotopoulos.

What applies to a four-day workweek?

Advocates of a four-day workweek say it could have significant benefits for employers and employees.

The logic? Fewer hours in the office should mean more productive time there. The theory is that employees will have more energy and motivation to push through during the 3-5 p.m. snack break, or other periods when fatigue sets in and their minds start to wander.

“When people work less, they tend to work smarter,” said Dale Whelehan, CEO of 4 day week worldwidea non-profit organization. “This allows them to eliminate unproductive time from their work and get more done in less time.”

The evidence is still emerging, but a UK trial run — conducted by Dr Whelehan’s group — appeared to have favourable results. In a survey midway through the study, which took place in 2022, most companies reported no loss of productivity during the trial.

How does the productivity argument play out in Greece?

Greece had the longest average working week in the European Union last year. Working-age people spent an average of 39.8 hours at work, compared to the block average of 36.1 hours.

While Greece wants to extend the working week in certain cases, proponents of the four-day week stress that less can sometimes be more when it comes to productivity.

And Greece’s productivity has long been lower than the European Union average. Data from EurostatThe bloc’s statistics agency shows that Greek productivity per hour worked was 30 percent lower than the bloc average last year.

“It provides an incentive for workers who want to increase their salaries — while also increasing fair play for employers,” said Emmanouil Savoidakis, a lawyer based in Athens, who said some of his clients in manufacturing have already shown interest. “Anyone who wants to increase production has to do so under certain rules and pay overtime.”