The Greek Parliament approved on Thursday the controversial Labor bill that allows a 13-hour workday.

The legislation entitled “Fair Employment for All” was passed with the majority of the 156 of the government votes plus 2 independent MPs in a Parliament of 300 seats. 109 MPs from the opposition parties voted against, while left-wing SYRIZA abstained from the vote, which was carried out by roll-call.

The bill had already triggered nationwide general strikes and work stoppage by public and private sector unions who opposed the legislation as it tramples on fundamental workers’ rights by granting more flexibility in working hours.

Flexible working hours “in practice means the abolition of the eight-hour [working day], the dissolution of any meaning of family and social life and the legalization of over-exploitation,” public sector unions umbrella ADEDY said in a statement.

In contrast, the Labor Ministry* claimed that the legislation will allow employees to work four days a week instead of five by tagging on a few hours to each day. Unions have responded that unless a 35-hour week replaces the current 40-hour one, the 13-hour workday is little more than a pretext that exposes workers to abuses of their rights.

Of, course, the Labor Ministry is a master in reality distortion and is not long ago when minister Niki Kerameos claimed when she introduced the 6-day working week a few months ago: “It’s not 6-day week it’s 5+1.”