4-day work week draws mixed views

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

TUCP conditionally supports 4-day work week scheme

The four-day work week is believed to ease traffic congestion in the metro

MANILA, Philippines - Labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines-Nagkaisa (TUCP-Nagkaisa) on Monday expressed support to the plan of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) allowing government agencies to implement a four-day work week scheme.

The group, however, pointed out that there would be no diminution of salary and reduction of benefits and public sector workers’ are consulted first they should ever adopt it.

“There are pros and cons to the compressed work week scheme aimed at saving electricity, reducing traffic congestion and minimizing stress of workers. So consultations and social dialogue with public sector worker (are an) important factor before implementing the scheme to know the sentiments of the workers,” TUCP-Nagkaisa spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said.

“The four-day work week should not affect salary and benefits of workers. This is non-negotiable of course,” Tanjusay added.

He noted that health of workers working for 10 hours a day is one of the adverse effects of the scheme to government employees, compromising the quality of service.

Tanjusay said the new work scheme may also affect both their health and their productivity due to stress caused by going home late at night and waking up early.

On the other hand, the scheme may motivate workers to be more productive because of an extra quality day with family, friends or an activity away from work.

The scheme may also cut commuting expenses and allows people to do errands they are unable to do during regular work days, Tanjusay said.

He said the scheme can reduce energy consumption and help ease traffic congestion by minimizing the volume of working people. - By Dennis Carcamo (philstar.com)

4-day work week opposed

A PROPOSAL to implement a four-day work week in government offices in Metro Manila was shot down Monday by a militant labor group, saying the scheme will only create problems for workers.

Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) said the scheme, which increases the daily working hours from eight to 10, will affect employees' health and violate their rights.

It is also unfavorable to workers who are paid on a daily basis and are subject to a "no work, no pay" policy, the group said.

"Unlike their monthly counterparts, daily paid workers are paid on actual days rendered. So the possibility is that they would be paid based on the number of days actually worked and not by the number of man hours spent," said KMU chairperson Elmer Labor in a text message to Sun.Star.

When applied to private sector workers, some employers may take advantage of the opportunity to cut workers’ wages further, according to KMU.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said it will support the shorter work week provided employers will consult workers before implementation and there is no dimunition of salary and benefits.

"It has advantages and disadvantages and it cannot be implemented in some industries or sectors such as manufacturing," said TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay.

The four-day work week is seen by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) as a tool to ease heavy traffic along Metro Manila's roads, enhance productivity and promote work-life balance among employees by increasing the number of workers' rest days and time for their families.

"Instead of addressing the causes of heavy traffic, the Aquino government is passing the burden of the problem to workers and ordinary Filipinos. Instead of improving mass transport system to reduce the volume of private vehicles plying the streets, it is implementing a scheme that's bad for workers' health," Labog said.

It would be up to government agencies to heed the CSC's recommendation as policemen, firemen and hospital staff are deemed excluded from the scheme because of their heavy interaction with the public. (Sunnex)By Virgil B. Lopez SunStar

RTWPB 7 sets 2 hearings on Cola-wage integration

THE Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) 7 will conduct two public hearings this month to get the sentiment of the labor sector on the proposal to integrate the P13 cost-of-living allowance (Cola) in the basic wage.

RTWPB 7 labor sector representative Jose Tomungha said that the hearings are set on Oct. 13 in Bohol and Oct. 14 in Cebu City.

Tomungha said that RTWPB 7 will deliberate the inputs from the participants and the result of the public hearings on Oct. 15 and 21.

Tomungha said that the labor coalitions in Cebu are also now conducting research on the amount of the wage increase that could be filed by the workers in May 2015.

He said May 2015 is just seven months away that’s why it is appropriate to start the research now.

Early this year, the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) filed a petition for a P90 across-the-board wage increase, while the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) wanted an increase of P132 per day.

The regional wage board, however, only granted a P13 Cola for workers that dismayed Tomungha and other labor sector representative, lawyer Ernesto Carreon.

RTWPB 7 is co-chaired by the director of the Department of Labor and Employment 7 and the director of the Department of Trade and Industry.

The RTWPB 7 members who also voted for the Cola are the director of the National Economic and Development Authority 7 and two representatives of the management sector.

With the P13 Cola on top of the P327 basic wage, the total minimum compensation now of a minimum wage worker is P340.

The decision of RTWPB 7 was affirmed by the National Wage Commission and it took effect last March 21, 15 days after it was published in a newspaper of general circulation last March 6.

Tomungha said that unlike Cola, which can be removed from the payroll anytime, a basic pay is permanent under the labor law. - By Elias O. Baquero / SunStar