THERE IS a lack of strong support for the Government's flexible work week proposal.
This was one of the findings of a recent poll conducted on behalf of the Gleaner Company by Don Anderson and his team from Market Research Services Limited.
According to the poll findings, published on page two of today's Gleaner, only 7.9 per cent of the persons interviewed strongly supported the introduction of flexi-week, compared to the 31.9 per cent who strongly oppose the idea.
The largest single response to the question, however, was the 43.7 per cent who said that they are really unsure as to what their position is with regard to the proposal.
Most people, asked what days they would prefer not to work, given the option under flexi-week, choose Saturdays and Sundays. More persons opted not to work on Sundays.
Persons in Kingston showed less of an inclination to give up their weekends, compared to persons in rural areas. This was attributed to the possibility of rural persons being more accustomed to working weekends.
The Government plans to table a Green Paper on the proposal in Parliament in the next few weeks. A draft of the Green Paper was recently approved by representatives of the trade unions and the Jamaica Employers Federation (JEF), on the tripartite Labour Advisory Council (LAC).
The flexible work week proposal is part of the Government's labour reform programme, intended to make local production more competitive in the light of globalisation.
It would make Saturdays and Sundays normal working days, not attracting premium pay, and would require the amending of several pieces of legislation affecting work periods including: The Town and Communities Act; The Shops and Offices Act and Regulations; The Apprenticeship Act; the National Minimum Wage Order 1975; The Holiday With Pay Order; The Women (Employment of) Act; The Minimum Wage (Garment Marketing Trade) Order.
A number of churches have raised objection to Sundays being made normal working days, as they feel it will affect both church attendance and family quality time. The unions and the Government are unable to agree on the maximum length of a work day.
