World News for Students of English

08-07-2024 07:00

Greece is starting a six-day work week from July 1 to solve staff shortages.

A new law lets employers make workers do up to two extra unpaid hours daily for more free time later. This should be voluntary, but many workers are forced to work longer without extra pay. Authorities rarely check if companies follow the rules. Greek workers already work the longest hours in Europe, about 41 hours a week, but get low pay. The new law allows many businesses to make people work six days a week with a 40% wage supplement for the sixth day.

Some people say that this gives employers too much power and makes working conditions worse. Many Greeks look for work abroad because of this. The government hopes to solve the problem of fewer workers and a decreasing population.

Difficult words: shortage (not enough of something or someone), voluntary (when you do something because you want to, not because you must), supplement (an extra amount of money which someone gets).

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