How many HOURS should a Worker Work in Malaysia? 8 hours a day, 48 hours a week - that is the right that workers fought for...and, we have it in Malaysia.
WHAT IS JUST? Well, we the people of Malaysia must decide...what is fair? OR do we just do not care about the many POOR workers in Malaysia - they should work 12 or even 24 hours - I do not care. Well, this is Malaysia, and we care and so we decide that all workers in Malaysia should be treated humanely and justly....
And after working 8 hours a day(or 48 hours a week), workers should be able to earn sufficient WAGES to be able to provide for a decent livelihood for themselves and their family(including dependents)
THAT MUST BE TARGET OF THE GOVERNMENT - AND ALL OF US IN MALAYSIA.
REALITY TODAY is that many workers are 'forced' to work OVERTIME by employers. Of course, legally, an employer must get the 'CONSENT' of workers before they can compell workers to do overtime...but, if you talk to many workers, they will tell you that they have 'NO CHOICE' in the matter...if they do not agree to do overtime, they may be prejudiced in terms of promotion, wage increments and/or even bonusses.
For, workers on short-term(or fixed-term contract) usually not more than 1 year, it is even a greater risk to refuse for many of such workers HOPE that they will be given an extension of their contract, or better still become a regular worker...Hence, these 'precarious' workers are easily forced to work OVERTIME.
Some employers, 'force' workers to sign agreements to do overtime when requested - this is done way in advance so again 'NO CHOICE' do reject overtime.
OVERTIME - was really for extra-ordinary situation that suddenly needs the company to operate beyond hours to complete an urgent order/work request ...but today, OVERTIME has become the norm...end result that right to just work 8 hours a day(48 hours a week) is simply ignored.
HENCE, to protect abuse of workers, the government has a LAW that sets the maximum hours of overtime per month that a worker can be made to work....and under the former UMNO-BN rule, that overtime limit was 104 hours a month.
This means that employers can make a worker, according to law, to work an additional 4 hours every working day....meaning that a worker may end up working 12 hours a day...
OVERTIME LIMIT - Pakatan Harapan government must speedily amend this law, and reduce the limit to 48-60 hours a month.
The law must also stipulate SITUATIONS when workers can be asked to work OVERTIME - and the requirement of actual Consent - and that workers not be discriminated for refusing to work overtime.
# It was sad to hear that in some factories, even to take sick leave, employer requires the worker to find a replacement first...same also with annual leave. The HR Minister need to seriously look into these...Ministry enforcement officers need to be more active in monitoring that worker rights are not being violated (Today, cause the precarious situation of workers, many workers will be to fearful to even complain...what more when they do not have REGULAR employment just a year's contract)
UMNO-BN politicians for low wages was simply to work OVERTIME or take on a 2nd job...Pakatan Harapan need to be different and ensure the 8 hours per day is strictly complied...
Other countries are reducing the NUMBER of HOURS of work - to 40 hours per week...
WAGES is a key concern here - workers need sufficient income to live a decent life for themselves and their families.
Thus, the PH government MUST:-
- Ensure workers get needed time of for rest and leisure > and not just ending up working and working for more than 8 hours. [Remember, now if we tale time to go to work, time to return home, time actually at workplace(not counting lunch breaks/breaks), it already comes to about 10 hours or more - eating up into rest and leisure times). Well being of marriage and children is also a factor...
- More importantly is EMPLOYMENT SECURITY - this means workers should generally be employed as REGULAR employees...no more short-term contracts. The worker, after all is evaluated by the employer during probation(which need be not more than 3 months), and then there is the AGREEMENT making them REGULAR employees - of course, one may end this relationship if one commits a serious misconduct, if the company has not more work for the worker(Retrenchment/Lay-Off). Regular employment also ensures increase in basic rights like paid annual leave entitlement, sick leave, maternity leave). What PH government can do is,by law, prohibit the usage of short-term/fixed-term employment contracts, insist all workers enjoy REGULAR employment especially for those earning RM3,000(or RM5,000) or less. Regular employment also ensures wage rise annually...
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