Greece decides on a 13-hour working day

Summary

Marketplace Morning Report: Greece Decides on a 13-Hour Working Day

Date: October 15, 2025
Host: William Lee Adams (BBC World Service)

---

Episode Overview

This episode provides a concise overview of major overnight news, focusing on Greece’s controversial parliamentary vote to allow 13-hour workdays in the private sector. The discussion also includes Argentina’s economic challenges linked to political outcomes, updates on global markets, and live reporting from Japan’s premier AI trade show. The tone is brisk and journalistic, offering a mix of local voices and international correspondents to contextualize key business and economic developments.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Greece’s Extended Workday Legislation

• Primary News: The Greek parliament is voting on legislation to allow private sector employees to voluntarily extend their workday up to 13 hours (five extra hours), with a weekly cap of 48 hours if employee and employer mutually agree.

• Unions' Response: There have been mass strikes and public sector protests in reaction to the proposal.

• Context: Greece is facing persistent challenges: high national debt, climbing inflation, and wages below much of the EU average.

• Ground-Level Perspective: Johannes Smyrnaeus, an archaeologist in Athens, shares worker concerns about coercion and economic pressures.

  “There is a lot of employees that are afraid that if they refuse to work 13 hours a day, they are going to be fired.”
  “...the government is basically serving this narrative that this is going to benefit the people because they will be working more hours and they will be earning more money. But of course this is 50% of the truth. In reality, what is happening is that prices are rising, rents are rising, and people need to work more hours to be able to cover these expenses.”
  — Johannes Smyrnaeus (01:41)

• Government Position: Extended hours are “optional,” overtime will be compensated with a 40% bonus. (02:12)

2. Argentina’s US Aid Tied to Political Outcomes

• Headline: Argentina may be denied a $20 billion support package from the US unless the incumbent party performs well in midterm elections, per statements by former US President Donald Trump.

• Economic Stakes: A currency swap deal is reportedly contingent on Javier Milei’s party’s electoral success—emphasizing the influence of foreign politics on Argentina’s future.

• Challenges for Milei’s Administration:

  • Difficulty passing reforms due to lack of congressional majority
  • Popularity waning due to austerity and corruption scandals

• Market Reaction: Argentine peso fell after Trump-Milei meeting, reflecting market skepticism.

  “I think [Trump] gave a sort of veiled threat really to Argentine voters, saying that US support for the Argentine economy would depend on election results, depend on Javier Milei being elected and... not having socialist candidates elected.”
  — Ione Wells (03:30)

3. World Market Updates

• China: Consumer price index dropped 0.3% in September 2025, attributed to low demand and US trade tensions. (04:08)
• France: CAC 40 rose 2.5%—best since April—driven by LVMH (up 13%). (04:08)

4. Japan’s Premiere AI Tech Trade Show

Correspondent: Sureanjana Tawari (live from Chiba, Japan)

Atmosphere and Focus

• Who’s There: Japanese businesses eager to digitize using AI; significant government presence.
• Featured Innovations:
  • Factory visualization tech eliminating human entry
  • AI solutions for agriculture and healthcare
  • A “cute little AI friend” that offers daily advice (not yet for sale)

Societal Impact

• Major theme: Leveraging AI to support Japan’s aging population and improve quality of life.

• Economic Constraints: Rising prices and demographics (aging, shrinking workforce) slow rollout.

  “While Japanese companies do want to adopt this technology and it is an investment for the future, prices are rising and the aging population is posing a problem... because it means there will be less workers and less demand.”
  — Sureanjana Tawari (05:57)

Most Buzzed-About Exhibit

• Robot Baby Demonstration:
  • Designed to simulate the challenges of parenting, both for potential parents and for raising awareness with employers about the realities of parental leave.
  • “The baby drinks milk and goes to the toilet.” (06:29)
  • The creator is seeking company investment for commercialization.

---

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Worker Anxiety in Greece:
  “There is a lot of employees that are afraid that if they refuse to work 13 hours a day, they are going to be fired.”
  — Johannes Smyrnaeus (01:41)

• On Economic Pressures:
  “Prices are rising, rents are rising, and people need to work more hours to be able to cover these expenses.”
  — Johannes Smyrnaeus (01:51)

• On Political Leverage in Argentina:
  “Trump said US support for the Argentine economy would depend on election results... not having socialist candidates elected.”
  — Ione Wells (03:30)

• Showstopper in Japan:
  “He’s got the data, he’s got the baby, which, by the way, drinks milk and goes to the toilet as well.”
  — Sureanjana Tawari (06:40)

---

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• Greece’s Workday Reform Debate: 01:02 – 02:18
• Johannes Smyrnaeus Interview: 01:41 – 02:12
• Argentina’s US Tied Aid/Political Stakes: 02:12 – 04:05
• Global Markets Rundown: 04:08 – 04:45
• Reporting from Japan AI Tech Show: 04:46 – 07:10

---

Episode Tone and Takeaways

The reporting balances straightforward economic analysis with local voices, offering both summary and depth in under ten minutes. It emphasizes the complex consequences of economic reform—whether in Greece’s labor market, Argentina’s political economy, or Japan’s push to reconcile a shrinking workforce with rapid tech innovation. Listeners get a sense of urgency and skepticism surrounding policy shifts and technological promises.

---

End of Content Summary.

Transcript

[Ondeck Representative]

Need to restock inventory, cover seasonal dips, or manage payroll. Ondeck's Small Business line of credit provides immediate access to funds up to $200,000 exactly when your business needs it. With flexible draws, transparent pricing, and full control over repayment, you can tackle unexpected expenses without missing a beat. Apply [e-mail] and funds could be available as soon as tomorrow. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by Ondeck or Celtic bank on Deck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval.

[Odoo Representative]

This podcast is supported Odoo Some say Odoo business management software is like fertilizer for businesses because the simple, efficient software promotes growth. Others say Odoo is like a magic beanstalk because it scales with you and is magically affordable. And some describe Odoo's programs for manufacturing, accounting, and more as building blocks for creating a custom software suite. So Odoo is fertilizer Magic beanstalk building blocks for business Odoo exactly what businesses need. Sign [e-mail] that's o d o o.com.

[William Lee Adams]

Greece moves to make the working day longer, but will workers take it? Live from the UK this is the Marketplace Morning Report from the BBC World Service. I'm William Lee Adams. Good morning. So how long is your working day in Greece? It may soon be up to 13 hours. Parliament is voting on a bill allowing private sector staff to work up to an extra five hours a day if both employee and employer agree. Labor unions have called mass strikes and protests which have hit the public sector. This comes as Greece faces high debt, rising inflation and lower wages than much of the European Union. Johannes Smyrnaeus is an archaeologist in Athens who would be subject to the new rules.

[Johannes Smyrnaeus]

There is a lot of employees that are afraid that if they refuse to work 13 hours a day, they are going to be fired. So I think the government is basically serving this narrative that this is going to benefit the people because they will be working more hours and they will be earning more money. But of course this is 50% of the truth. In reality, what is happening is that prices are rising, rents are rising, and people need to work more hours to be able to cover these expenses.

[William Lee Adams]

Johannes Smyrnaos There, the center Right government says the longer hours will be optional and capped at 48 hours a week and that overtime will be better compensated with a 40% bonus. Argentina may not get the $20 billion lifeline offered by the US unless the ruling party does well in upcoming midterm elections. That's according To President Trump. An imminent currency swap deal with Argentina's central bank was reported last week. But now it seems it could be linked to how well Javier Milei's party does in those elections. Milei has brought in sweeping spending cuts since his election, but is facing growing opposition. The BBC's South America correspondent, Ione Wells, has more.

[Ione Wells]

This matters to Javier Milei because if he doesn't gain more seats, or if he indeed loses seats, then that can make it a lot harder to pass economic reforms, some of his agenda that he wants to push through. He's already had some significant vetoes overturned by Congress in the last couple of months as a result of not having a majority there. Now, Donald Trump said that victory for Javier Milei was something that was important, but also, I think gave a sort of veiled threat really to Argentine voters, saying that US Support for the Argentine economy would depend on election results, depend on Javier Milei being elected and in his words, not having socialist candidates elected. Whether or not that really makes a difference, though, to ordinary Argentines, I'm not so sure. I think polls suggest that Javier Milei's popularity has dipped in recent months, firstly because there are suggestions that people are tiring of some of his Austin austerity measures, the sharp cuts that he's implemented, but also suggestions too that people are not happy with the fact there have been various corruption scandals that have rocked his party. Indeed, after this meeting between President Trump and President Milei, the peso actually fell, suggesting that investors aren't also convinced that this support package will necessarily make a huge difference.

[William Lee Adams]

Ione Wells, let's do the numbers. China's consumer price index dropped 0.3% in September from a year earlier. Economists blame weak demand and trade tensions with the US. In France, the benchmark CAC 40 index rose 2.5%, the most since April. Luxury conglomerate LVMH was a big winner, jumping 13%. Next, we're off to Japan for its biggest tech trade show and a promise of cutting edge advancements. The focus this year is improving people's lives through AI. The BBC's Sureanjana Tawari is in Shiva. Hello, Sureanjana.

[Sureanjana Tawari]

Hi there.

[William Lee Adams]

What's the atmosphere like on the ground?

[Sureanjana Tawari]

It's really Japanese businesses who want to digitize, who want to sort of jump on the AI bandwagon, trying to find the technologies that will help them do that. So for example, there is one company that visualize things like factories without sending people into those factories. You know, there's AI devices for things like fishing, for agriculture as well. Health, a lot of medical technology as well. There's also a lot of local governments here because the theme is about how to improve society. Of course, Japan has aging population, so there's a lot of thought being put into how you care for the elderly in society and how technology might be able to help that.

[William Lee Adams]

How soon might we see some of this tech actually rolled out?

[Sureanjana Tawari]

Well, that's the big question when you ask, you know, the companies. We've seen a few robots, we've seen a really cute little AI friend that goes into your pocket. It can talk to you, and it can tell you the weather, what you should wear to go outside. It is a very smart bit of technology, not on the market yet.

[William Lee Adams]

And all of these innovations, of course, come with a price tag. What kind of numbers are we talking about?

[Sureanjana Tawari]

These are big numbers. One thing to note is that the Japanese economy is not doing so well. So while Japanese companies do want to adopt this technology and it is an investment for the future, prices are rising and the aging population is posing a problem for for the economy because it means there will be less workers and less demand. Not to mention all the geopolitical challenges that Japan is also facing, along with many other economies in the world.

[William Lee Adams]

Is there one product that seems to have grabbed everyone's attention?

[Sureanjana Tawari]

One professor has built a robot baby to try and help people who are maybe thinking about having children. What would go into looking after a real child? And he also says it can be used in the corporate setting when employers are not very understanding, when people want to take parental leave. So it really shows employers how difficult it is to raise a baby when people are working. Now, that professor has come here because he's looking for funding. He's got the data, he's got the baby, which, by the way, drinks milk and goes to the toilet as well. He's basically here asking companies to invest so that he can roll it out to the general public.

[William Lee Adams]

So many questions there, sir. And Janet, thanks for joining us on MarketPL.

[Sureanjana Tawari]

Thanks a lot.

[William Lee Adams]

That's all for now in the UK, I'm William Lee Adams with the Marketplace morning Report from the BBC World Service.

[Kimberly Adams]

I'm Kimberly Adams, host of Make Me Smart, a podcast from Marketplace that makes today make sense. Join me throughout the week as I dig into the biggest stories in tech culture and the economy. Whether it's a vibe check on the job market or the latest on China US relations, Make Me Smart helps you understand how the headlines actually impact your daily life. Listen to Make Me Smart on your favorite podcast.

[Sureanjana Tawari]

APPLAUSE.