Greece introduces the six day work week

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Automation, Productivity, and Working Time

  • Many note that a 6‑day week was historically normal and still is in parts of the world; others see this as a regression given modern automation.
  • Commenters recall past predictions of very short workweeks due to productivity gains; instead, most people still work full-time or more.
  • Explanations offered:
    • Productivity gains have largely gone to executives and capital owners, not workers.
    • Social expectations and consumerism continually create new “needs,” so total work expands (Jevons‑paradox style).
    • Some argue people “like” working or need it for structure; others strongly reject this and prioritize less work.

Housing, Inequality, and Basic Needs

  • Several focus on housing scarcity: rising productivity doesn’t matter if constrained housing drives up rents and mortgages.
  • Debate over whether housing scarcity is “artificial” (through zoning, permitting, NIMBYism) or simply market forces.
  • Broader critique: capitalism is good at producing wealth but poor at distributing it or guaranteeing shelter and food.

Greek Economic Context

  • Greece is described as highly reliant on low‑wage, seasonal tourism and construction, with ~11–12% unemployment and significant emigration of young workers.
  • Disagreement on tourism margins: some say hotels and beach concessions earn very high profits and underpay staff; others claim small hotels are barely viable, especially without “shady” practices.
  • Widespread mentions of corruption, weak labor inspections, off‑the‑books work, and political clientelism; some liken Greece to a “cartel” economy.
  • Comparison to other EU periphery countries (e.g., Croatia) facing similar brain drain and poor working conditions.

Details and Ambiguities of the New Law

  • The article’s description of:
    • Up to two “unpaid” extra hours per day “in return for more free time.”
    • A 40% supplement for a sixth workday.
  • Commenters find this wording confusing and possibly mistranslated:
    • Some interpret it as time‑in‑lieu and 140% pay for the 6th day.
    • Others argue in practice unpaid overtime and 6‑day weeks already exist and the law mainly legalizes/extracts more from workers.

Labor Shortages, Wages, and Training

  • Thread questions how labor shortages coexist with high unemployment.
  • One side: firms could raise wages or improve conditions; refusal to do so reflects collusion, culture, or spite.
  • Others argue many businesses can’t raise pay without going under, especially in price‑sensitive tourism.
  • Additional factors cited: emigration to better‑paying EU states, weak education for parts of the workforce, and employer reluctance to invest in training if workers can easily leave.

EU, Politics, and Systemic Critiques

  • Some blame EU policies and bailouts for a “lost generation,” austerity, and weakened worker protections; others note EU partners also “bailed out” Greece.
  • Broader trend noted: rising nationalism, strong corporate lobbies, and use of subsidies/tax breaks that enrich firms while cutting social benefits.

Robots, AI, and the Future of Work

  • Mixed views on automation:
    • Some see robots/AI as still too immature to matter much; others think “serious automation” is being politically/economically suppressed.
    • General point: efficiency tends to unlock more work rather than reduce total work, unless society consciously chooses to trade gains for leisure.