TUCP supports compressed work week but...

MANILA, Philippines - One of the biggest labor groups in the country on Monday said it supports the proposed compressed work week by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority in a bid to ease traffic congestion in the metropolis.

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said it is in favor of the MMDA proposal provided it is implemented voluntarily in select industries within specific period.

"There are industries that may be adversely affected by shortened working days but extended working hours. And there are industries that may be impacted less. We have to consider the consequence of prolonged work hours to workers’ work life balance is bad. On one hand, we are also thinking of the dire consequences to the economy if we have a gridlock in traffic. So, we have to qualify, we have to make a balance in the implementation of the scheme," TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay said.

The MMDA proposal calls for workers to work for 10 hours a day for four days.

Tanjusay said the 10-hour work per day is very arduous for precarious, critical and labor-intensive workers particularly those in the manufacturing, production, transport and construction sectors, inducing fatigue which will compromise safety and productivity.

He said that compressed work week also means reduced income as it requires waiver of overtime pay for millions of regular and non-regular workers.

"The issue of salary and wages must also be settled," he added.
 
Compressed work scheme was previously implemented by the government amid an extreme weather disturbance and due to energy crisis in the 1990s and was lifted after a specific period.

Tanjusay said that if the work scheme is deemed mandatory by government, the plan will create complicated problems than provide solutions.

But if it is adopted voluntarily after consultation and dialogue using the Decent Work Framework of the International Labour Organization particularly with workers and employers, the compressed work week proposal can help alleviate traffic congestion, help save energy and reduce operational costs, Tanjusay said.