Thiruvananthapuram: A meeting convened by chief secretary A Jayathilak with representatives of various govt service organizations on Friday discussed the long-pending proposal to introduce a five-day working week for state govt employees. The idea, which was under discussion for some time, was generally welcomed by most service organizations, though reservations were raised by unions from the health sector.According to sources present at the meeting, employee organizations agreed in principle that a reduction in the number of working days could be offset by revising daily working hours. Union representatives noted that a five-day week would effectively result in a reduction of nearly seven working hours per week, which, they said, could be reasonably compensated by extending working hours on other days. However, there was strong and unanimous opposition to any suggestion of cutting down existing leave benefits, including casual leave and holidays, on the lines of the Union govt system.
At present, govt offices function from 10.15am to 5.15pm, with a 45-minute lunch break between 1.15pm and 2pm. One of the models discussed at the meeting envisages office hours beginning at 9.30am and extending till 5.30pm, along with a reduction of 15 minutes in the lunch break. Unions conveyed their willingness to consider such an adjustment if Saturdays were declared holidays.Employee representatives also sought flexibility in implementation, particularly for staff commuting from distant districts. They suggested that employees who arrive late due to long travel times should be allowed to compensate by extending their work beyond 5.30pm, instead of being marked late, and demanded that any revised system formally recognise flexi-time arrangements. Service organisations, however, criticised the absence of a clear agenda or detailed proposal from the govt.Sources said that organizations representing doctors and medical college teachers flagged sector-specific limitations, stating that hospitals and medical colleges function under different operational constraints and cannot be treated on a par with secretariat or departmental offices. The meeting was attended by representatives of nearly 80 service organizations, including major NGO unions, associations, joint councils and secretariat employee bodies. Supporting the proposal in-principle, M S Ershad, president of the Kerala Secretariat Association (KSA), said the move could result in substantial savings for the govt without any additional expenditure. “Not only the overhead expenses like power and water charges would be significantly reduced, the fuel costs of govt vehicles plying on Saturdays also will be a major revenue saver for the govt,” he said.At the same time, KSA struck a note of caution, stating that the proposal was not based on any specific demand raised by employee organizations. The association said it suspects that the move may be driven more by the govt’s attempt to reduce administrative expenditure than by employee welfare. The issue gained traction against the backdrop of growing employee discontent over pending dearness allowance arrears and other service-related issues. Sources indicated that the govt may be keen to take a decision before the announcement of elections, as the move is widely perceived as employee-friendly.
