FOUR-DAY WORK WEEK – A Manila City Hall employee checks his daily time record card on September 29, morning. The Civil Service Commission earlier approved a four-day work week which government offices in Metro Manila can implement in a bid to address worsening traffic congestion. (Valeria Sorrenti)[/caption]
A proposal from the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to implement a four-day work week in government offices to allow their employees to cope with the heavy traffic in Metro Manila has drawn mixed reaction from labor groups in the private sector.
The militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) opposed the policy, saying it could significantly reduce the income of workers who are paid on a “no work, no pay” basis.
However, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said it supports the shortened work-week since it will allow government employees to “save energy and ease traffic congestion” in the National Capital Region (NCR).
“The four-day work week is a direct attack on this hard-won victory of the international workers’ movement and shows how anti-worker this government is,” KMU Chairperson Elmer Labog said.
Labog said this could also have a negative impact on the health of workers since they will be required to work for more than eight hours.
Under the compressed work week, government offices will allow their employees to work for only four days a week in exchange for slightly longer working hours.
Labog also expressed apprehension the proposal may also pave the way towards its adoption in the private sector, where it could be abused by some unscrupulous employer to cut labor costs.
TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay, however, said the affected worker should be consulted before the government implements the four-day work week to ensure it will not affect their existing benefits.
TUCP also said the measure should be implemented on a limited scale since it is not applicable in “some industries or sectors.” - by Samuel Medenilla Manila Bulletin
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