THE EDITOR, Sir:
There has been some talk about a flexible work week, making Saturday and Sunday count as ordinary days of the week, I first have some questions to ask: Who will be called to work on Saturday and Sunday?
Some stores, supermarkets, doctors and special departments of the civil service are ruled out because they are already called to work. It could then be that to increase literacy, schools will then hold classes on these two days? I think not. Then we are left with the manufacturing sector.
Is the flexible work week then designed to help this sector to be more competitive and to meet the deadlines in this "modern world"?
I would like to propose a shift system starting Monday at 7 a.m. and ending Saturday 7 a.m. This will give us 120 hours of work. I think if a deadline cannot be met in this 120-hour work week, it is hardly likely that it could be met in the 48 hours of Saturday and Sunday.
More shifts will not make our prices more competitive. What will, is a reduction of the overhead costs: Examples: The cost of rent, the cost of water, the cost of telephone calls, the cost of electricity or the lack of, the cost of duties on imported raw materials, the cost of security, the cost of theft, the cost of parts and maintenance on machinery, the cost of repairs on vehicle due to bad roads, the cost of time wasted sitting in traffic.
The next question is who will benefit?
Definitely not the group of workers who are already working on these days. Because instead of earning time-and-a-half or double-time pay they will now be earning only a regular wage. So is it that the employers, of these groups, are unwilling to pay the employees their extra time wages for work on Saturday and Sunday.
I would like to propose a infrastructure to accommodate a flexible-shift system. If we start a flexible work week it will lead to separation of more parents from their children.
We in Jamaica should tell the world that in Jamaica we love our neighbours unlike some "first world" countries where the Good Samaritan can be sued. We cherish our families, as the children are the future leaders.
I remain in the graveyard shift.
I am, etc.,
ANDREW
67 Palmetto Ave
Kingston 6
