Labor history

The US Embassy in Greece said on Thursday that the US Consulate in Thessaloniki will remain closed due to plumbing problems on Thursday.

Bulgarian lawmakers have amended recently adopted rules on how public holidays will be celebrated when they fall on weekends.

Under the latest changes, when public holidays coincide with Saturday, Sunday or both, Monday and/or Tuesday will be called "days off".

There will be no merger of festive days and weekends if a holiday falls on Thursday or Tuesday, lawmakers have decided.

MPs have voted on first reading changes to Bulgaria's Labour Code that abolish the current rules under which Friday or Monday, respectively, is declared a holiday to merge it with a public holiday dated during the workweek.

The Bulgarian government has approved amendments to the Labour Code which ensure better protection for Bulgarian workers sent on working trips in the EU, reported the press centre of the Council of Ministers.

Parliament adopted the amendments to the Ministry of Interior Act on Thursday.

Before Parliament's second reading, the Interior Ministry withdrew several of its key proposals.

As before, at retirement, employees will continue to receive compensation of up to 20 monthly wages. Paid annual leave continues to be 30 days and will not be reduced by 5 days as envisaged.

The Greek government asked the Parliament to conduct a plenary session during the weekend in order to vote for the social security bill before the Eurogroup meeting which will take place on Monday.

Police have used tear gas to disperse demonstrators in Paris who are protesting against the new labor reforms.

According to Le Figaro newspaper, a group of 30 young people broke the windows of banks and shops, while throwing rocks to police officers. Many people were arrested, according to Le Parisien.

Angry unions and youths joined forces on March 9 in a day of protests against French President Francois Hollande's effort to tamper with the country's 35-hour workweek.

Several union and student organizations called protests in more than 200 cities across France to try to kill the bill which has even divided Hollande's Socialists.

A legal arrangement allowing for public servants to attend Friday prayers without interrupting their office hours has gone into force, as a related circular by the Turkish Prime Ministry was published in the Official Gazette on Jan. 8.

Employed Bulgarians will have four long weekends next year after the government reshuffled some workdays which come immediately before or after public holidays.

March and May will have one long weekend each, while September will have two.