LABORERS in Southern Mindanao urged the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) to compete with the plan of the government to implement a compressed workweek.

Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) spokesperson Romelito Pablo, in an interview, said the workers will have less time to communicate with their co-workers and even their families, if the compressed workweek shall be implemented.

Pablo said such scheme affects their time for social purposes, including unionizing and collective bargaining, especially as contractualization persists, will be curtailed. He added that this also poses health problem for various workers.

"The compressed workweek is just one of the flurries of anti-worker measures that the government has offered. And the proposed tax reform and public utility vehicle modernization are feared to ruin the workers’ rights," Pablo said.

The House of Representatives, on August 24, approved the House Bill 6152 or The Compressed Work Week Scheme Bill that aims to amend the present 8 hours normal work into 12 hours and not to exceed 48 hours of work per week.

Under the bill, the overtime work will start after a worker works 12 hours during the day or after rendering 48 hours during the week. The Senate version of the Bill is Senate Bill 1571, which was sponsored by Senator Joel Villanueva.