Discussions on Flexible Working Hours Resume in Parliament

Parliament resumed discussions on flexible working time in Jamaica, when a Joint Select Committee(JSC), chaired by Minister of Labour and Social Security, the Hon. Pearnel Charles, had its first meeting at Gordon House, today.
“It is apparent that because of what is happening globally now, the international financial and economic crisis, the whole question of flexi work time at the work place has become more relevant than in the past,” Mr. Charles told today’s meeting.
“I think that the question of productivity has got to be the highlight of the new approach to employment,” the minister added.
He said that Members of Parliament recognised that what has been happening in the industrial capitals of the world, will change the whole work approach in the 21st century.
He explained that workers will have to be multi-skilled and concerned about doing one job in 5-days, when they could do the same amount of work in less days and be free to do other jobs.
“So the flexi work week is more urgent today than when it was conceived,” he remarked.
He said that in terms of the controversial issue of rest days for workers who observe the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week, it was felt that the Church was now on board, and it was left to employers and employees to work out their work schedules.
The Minister also agreed with a proposal from Opposition member, Senator Navel Clarke, that a number of current laws and regulations, including the Shops and Offices Act and the National Minimum Wage Order, would have to be amended to fit in with the flexible work week concept.
The introduction of Flexible Work Arrangements(FWAs) as part of the Labour Market Reform(LMR) process has been under discussion at the Labour Advisory Committee(LAC) since 1997. The LAC is comprised of representatives of the Ministry, the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions(JCTU) and the Jamaica Employers Federation(JEF).
It addresses variations in the number of hours worked each day, the number of days worked each week, as well as in the days of the week when employees work.
A Green Paper on the issue was tabled in Parliament in 2001, and a Joint Select Committee appointed to review the issue and report to House. However, no report has been made and the work of several committees has remained incomplete since then.
Attending Wednesday’s meeting were: Mr. Charles; Mr. Andrew Gallimore, Minister of State in the Ministry; Mr. Fitz Jackson, MP for South St. Catherine; Senator Hyacinth Bennett; and Senator Clarke. The committee will resume meeting on March 11.