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The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is opposed to the passage of a proposed legislative measure pending in the House of Representatives (HOR) that reduces the maximum working hours in a week to just 35 hours.
The Secretary of Labor, Silvestre H. Bello III, said he was against House Bill 309, which will reduce the current 40-hour workweek by five hours, since it will negatively affect workers.
“If you reduce your working hours, your [workers’] The pay will also be reduced ”, explained Bello.
Albay 2nd District Representative Joey Salceda, author of HB 309, said the proposed legislation will allow for more “flexibility in workplaces”, reduce employers’ utility bills and reduce traffic on the roads.
Bello noted that these reasons could be achieved if employers practice flexible work arrangements, such as the work-from-home program, which is authorized by the DOLE.
The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) labor group also opposed the reduction in working hours, claiming that the proposal violates the international labor standard of 40 working hours per day.
KMU general secretary Jerome Adonis said the policy is most damaging to workers who are employed on a “no work, no pay” basis.
Additionally, he said, the reduced work hours will require employees to complete their regular task in a shorter period of time, which will be more onerous for them.
If signed into law, HB 309 could also lead to the “reclassification” of regular employees into contract workers.
“KMU opposed this proposal for a compressed 35-hour workweek as it attacks their pay and their working hours,” Adonis said.
On Monday, the House recalled the second reading approval of HB 309 so that its provisions could still be reviewed.
