Cuepacs against six-hour working days

GEORGE TOWN: The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Civil Service (CUEPACS) is not in favour of six-hour working days.

Its president Datuk Azih Muda said that those who agreed to the current eight-hour working days to be change to the six hour regime were lazy people.

“No one works eight hours straight. The workers go for coffee breaks, go out to take their children from school and many others.

Hence, CUEPACS is against the idea,” he told a press conference after opening Kesatuan Anggota KEMAS’ biennial meeting, here yesterday.

The six-hour working days was suggested by the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC). Azih also said that he feared that if the sixhour regime was implemented, it will affect those paid by hours as the salary will get smaller, especially with the cost of living getting more and more expensive.

“We hope that the government will think thoroughly on the matter and hope that working hours not be cut but salaries are increased,” he said.

On another matter, Azih said CUEPACS also hoped that the Ministry of Finance would abolishing short term contracts as it was oppressive to the workers as they were not entitled to any benefits such as SOCSO and Employee Pension Fund (EPF) contributions.

Azih said that the CUEPACS had received many complaints from such workers and the body was the opinion that it is unjust for them.

“We hope that contract workers can be signed a minimum of two years and above to ensure their wellbeing and we hope the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will take this into consideration in the upcoming budget announcement,” he said.

Najib is scheduled to table the 2017 Budget in Parliament on Oct 21 and has called upon the public including non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and academicians to give their ideas for the budget. - Bernama