By Sonia Ramachandran
The Ant Daily, 19 July 2014
A five-day work week may seem the norm for many in the country, both in the private and public sectors.
But this is apparently not the case, according to the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) who reportedly has been receiving complaints that many companies in the forwarding, shipping, logistic and ancillary service sectors were still practising a six-day work week with Saturdays as half day.
An MTUC survey showed that these companies dealt mainly with businesses that closed on Saturdays, thereby bringing into question the point of having employees work on that day.
Thus, MTUC wants the government to make it compulsory for the private sector to implement a five-day work week to increase productivity and allow for families to have more quality time together.
However, Malaysia Employers Federation (MEF) executive director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan told theantdaily that such a move was not practical.
“To make it compulsory is not going to be practical because various sectors are not able to go for a five-day week, especially sectors that work 365 days a year, such as the media, hotels and public transportation sectors.
“To make it compulsory will incur additional costs to such employers. Having said that, there are also some employers who allow a four-day week where their employees work 12 hours daily. This is quite popular with Japanese manufacturing companies,” he said.
Another inhibiting factor to a five-day work week, said Shamsuddin, is the Employment Act 1955 whose provisions were mostly drawn up in the 1950s when most companies worked six days a week.
“For example, there is the 22 days of sick leave provided for under the Employment Act which was provided for in the 1950s when most companies had a six-day work week. To encourage companies to go for a five-day work week, sick leave, annual leave as well as public holidays should also be reduced proportionately.
“We are not trying to obtain an unfair advantage. It’s only fair as employees will be getting an additional 52 days off with a five-day week,” he said.
MTUC deputy secretary-general A Balasubramaniam reportedly said the governments should make it compulsory for the private sector to implement a five-day work week to increase productivity as well as help in streamlining the working days with government agencies, departments and financial institutions.
Balasubramaniam said it was a waste of time and money in addition to lowering employee morale to have a six-day work week.
He urged the Human Resources Ministry to take the initiative to educate businesses on the benefits of a five-day week, including their employees having more leisure and quality time with their families and friends.
With Malaysia considered one of the countries with the most number of public holidays in the world, it is understandable where Shamsuddin is coming from as an employer.
Theoretically, the additional days off would be set off by longer work hours but some employers may have no need for employers to stay beyond certain hours a day, thus needing a six-day week to make up the necessary hours.
As Shamsuddin pointed out, making it compulsory will not work. The government will need to make it worthwhile for companies to do so.
A five-day work week may seem the norm for many in the country, both in the private and public sectors.
But this is apparently not the case, according to the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) who reportedly has been receiving complaints that many companies in the forwarding, shipping, logistic and ancillary service sectors were still practising a six-day work week with Saturdays as half day.
An MTUC survey showed that these companies dealt mainly with businesses that closed on Saturdays, thereby bringing into question the point of having employees work on that day.
Thus, MTUC wants the government to make it compulsory for the private sector to implement a five-day work week to increase productivity and allow for families to have more quality time together.
However, Malaysia Employers Federation (MEF) executive director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan told theantdaily that such a move was not practical.
“To make it compulsory is not going to be practical because various sectors are not able to go for a five-day week, especially sectors that work 365 days a year, such as the media, hotels and public transportation sectors.
“To make it compulsory will incur additional costs to such employers. Having said that, there are also some employers who allow a four-day week where their employees work 12 hours daily. This is quite popular with Japanese manufacturing companies,” he said.
Another inhibiting factor to a five-day work week, said Shamsuddin, is the Employment Act 1955 whose provisions were mostly drawn up in the 1950s when most companies worked six days a week.
“For example, there is the 22 days of sick leave provided for under the Employment Act which was provided for in the 1950s when most companies had a six-day work week. To encourage companies to go for a five-day work week, sick leave, annual leave as well as public holidays should also be reduced proportionately.
“We are not trying to obtain an unfair advantage. It’s only fair as employees will be getting an additional 52 days off with a five-day week,” he said.
MTUC deputy secretary-general A Balasubramaniam reportedly said the governments should make it compulsory for the private sector to implement a five-day work week to increase productivity as well as help in streamlining the working days with government agencies, departments and financial institutions.
Balasubramaniam said it was a waste of time and money in addition to lowering employee morale to have a six-day work week.
He urged the Human Resources Ministry to take the initiative to educate businesses on the benefits of a five-day week, including their employees having more leisure and quality time with their families and friends.
With Malaysia considered one of the countries with the most number of public holidays in the world, it is understandable where Shamsuddin is coming from as an employer.
Theoretically, the additional days off would be set off by longer work hours but some employers may have no need for employers to stay beyond certain hours a day, thus needing a six-day week to make up the necessary hours.
As Shamsuddin pointed out, making it compulsory will not work. The government will need to make it worthwhile for companies to do so.
