Greece and the surrounding states are subject to climate change, as hardly any other region. In the Eastern Mediterranean, the region heats up almost twice as soon as possible than on average in the world. In Greece, it is now more than 90 days with a temperature of more than 35 degrees and more than 25 days with a temperature above 40 degrees.
As researchers: inside the University of Hawaii, the temperature of the external level 37 can be life -threatening. Of these, more and more common dangerous thermal days, employees are especially affected by the inside of the construction, agriculture, tourism and industry.
“In recent years, the number of deaths at the workplace in Greece has emphasized,” said Andreas Stanmenidis from TAZ. He is the secretary for health and security at the workplace of the organization of the umbrellas of GSEE Union and the Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the European Agency for Security and Protection of Health at the Workplace (EU-SOSA).
Almost daily dead
According to the Greek Association of Construction Workers (OKE), “people kill and are mutilated at the workplace almost every day.” Already in 2023, Greece had the highest mortality rate associated with warmth throughout Europe.
Only in the first half of 2025, 115 people were killed at the workplace at the workplace, and only 104. Official figures for heat notes do not rise during work in Greece, trade union activists evaluate the share of deaths from hitland, and up to twelve to fifteen percent.
In the hot summer months, there are new reports almost weekly. In addition to the 65-year-old, the other two builders were killed over the past few days.
For trade union players Stoimenidis, increased death figures are also associated with the latest controversial labor legislation “Flexibility” of the Government of Mitotakis of the Liberal conservative. “The introduction of a 13-hour working day, a six-day week or the return of pensioners to their workplace is the path to death,” Stoenidis said. People over 65 have an increased risk of death in the heat.
The indecision of the government requires human life
Nevertheless, there is no legal framework for the protection of employees: “The government emits its interventions with the help of sporadic circulars who are not mandatory for employers,” the trade union said. “However, human lives are lost on the other hand.”
Trade Unions, representatives of employers, scientists: inside and parts of the Ministry of Labor have already agreed on the bill five years ago. It contains detailed standards for complex thermal protection for builders: inside and CO are determined. Since then, however, there have been no significant measures, according to the Union of OKE builders.
Limited conditions for heat waves will be provided, but they are unlikely to control them. Construction workers: Therefore, he often must continue to work at a temperature above 38 degrees, otherwise they will be canceled. The Government Prime Minister of the Mitsoikis, the demand for trade unions, should immediately guarantee the implementation of their own specifications.
In Greece, if you have permission to accommodate, refugees formally have the same labor rights as the Greeks: inside. In fact, however, they often work in unstable labor relations and in poor conditions.
