Labor | Lawmakers concerned with civil servants’ shift-work duties

Vong Hin Fai

The Third Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly (AL) discussed the amendment of civil servants’ work regulations on Wednesday, with the discussion mainly concerning their shift-work system.

The Chairman of the Third Standing Committee, Vong Hin Fai, revealed to the media that the work instructions of some governmental departments have not been mentioned in the government’s latest proposed amendment for the civil servants’ working regulations.

For instance, female hygiene assistants working with the Health Bureau (SSM) “can be waived from shift-work if they are four months pregnant, if they are above 50 years old, or if they need to take care of their children younger than one year old,” explained Vong.

Macau’s labour laws have articles protecting the above-mentioned female workers. “Of course, it [the labor law] is unsuitable for the civil servants’ law. […] The labor law has some articles to protect pregnant women. The committee thinks that, in the current bill, [civil servant work regime] related articles cannot be found, which exempts related workers from working shifts,” said Vong, adding that the committee will query the government.

In the government’s amendment, civil servants on shift- work were suggested to work a maximum of six hours before having a break.

However, the labor law suggests only a five-hour maximum work shift. According to Vong, the lawmakers wanted the government to explain their reasons for having such different regulations from that of the labor laws.

The lawmakers also have doubts regarding the amendment, which suggests a certain group to be excluded from shift-work.

Another amendment says that shift-work civil servants should resume their work after a regulated break time, although no clear length of time has been indicated in the amendment.

The committee will be arranging for government officials to be present at the Third Standing Committee in April, in order to answer the lawmakers’ questions on the amendment.

The amendment indicated that some workers can have more than 60 accumulated days of annual holidays. The lawmakers are questioning whether the government’s own works could be affected by civil servants taking such long holidays.

Until Wednesday, the Third Standing Committee had received 16 opinions on the amendment of the civil servants regime, with the opinions mostly concerning the calculation methods for shift-work allowances, over-time working limitations, and annual leave. JZ