It was the Greek labor minister’s turn on Friday to deflect criticism over a newly enacted measure whereby certain categories of businesses can schedule six-day workweeks for employees.
Speaking on the state-run broadcaster (ERT), Minister Niki Kerameos attempted to point out a difference in the provision from what she called “fake news”, merely saying “the five-day week is the norm, the sixth day is the ability for an extra work day.”
The measure, enacted as of July 1, generated, somewhat surprisingly, international headlines and television coverage from around the world – essentially catching the government off guard.
Back in Athens, Kerameos reminded that the measure is available only to specific businesses that operate on a 24-hour basis, such as factories with rolling shifts over seven days a week. She also repeated the past week’s “defense points” by other government officials, namely, much better pay for the sixth day worked.
“We shouldn’t be talking about six days of work but about an unexpected day of work; we’re talking about the exception that concerns factories and businesses in continuous operation,” she qualified.
