The civil society organisations have expressed concern over the government's decision to increase working hours from 8 to 10 hours.
In a press release issued here on Thursday, the Aurat Foundation (AF) deplored that the provision to this effect was hastily by the National Assembly in the Finance Bill, without giving a chance to other members of the assembly to even comment on it.
" Besides increasing daily work hours, the federal government has allowed the employers to get women workers to work till 10 pm. These changes will put more stress and burden on women workers, as the new timing will result in a conflict between work and home. Women working in the Export Processing Zones already work extra hours," said the press release, fearing the decision on longer working hours could be a ploy to give this a legal cover.
The civil society organisation lamented that the government had added contract work to the categories of work, which did not allow overtime even if the workers put in extra hours. "Similarly, the condition of giving compulsory holidays no longer applies to business concerns falling under the jurisdiction of Shops and Establishment Ordinance 1969. Duration of permitted overtime has been increased from 150 hours to 624 hours a year for adults and from 100 hours to 468 hours for young persons", pointed out the Aurat Foundation. The civil society organisation has demanded of the government to review the decision by reverting to the old terms and conditions of working hours (8 hours), which were decided after waging a long struggle and offering sacrifices.-PR
Comments
Comments are closed.