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Minister sees night shifts as way to save workers from the summer heat

Commenting on Khaleej Times’ suggestion on the night-only shifts, Dr Ali bin Abdullah Al Kaabi, Minister of Labour said that the ministry has no objection to construction companies operating night-only shifts during the blazing summer months.

Dr Al Kaabi explained that the Federal Labour Law No. 8 of 1980 stipulates that workers in all fields should put in eight hours a day. “But the law did not specify if these eight hours are to be during the day or the night,” he observed, adding that the decision to adopt this suggestion lies completely in the hands of the civic bodies in the emirates and the contracting companies.

“If companies find it appropriate for them to operate night-only shifts, the problem of subjecting workers to the burning sun in summer will be solved. Furthermore, such a decision will save labourers the inconvenience of having extended working days,” Dr Al Kaabi observed.

The Minister however, disclosed that the ministry will shortly issue a new decision concerning the noon-break which was imposed last year on all construction companies.

“The ministry is discussing at present the mid-day break rule with the parties concerned, | and very soon, we will issue a fresh decision in this regard, but construction companies have the option to operate night-only shifts if they wish to,” he added.

Khaleej Times has learnt that the discussions with the relevant authorities ended with the view that the four-hours mid-day break between 12.30 to 4.30pm during July and August be reduced to just two hours.

“The viewpoint of the companies in this regard was that it was difficult to transport workers from and to the worksite during the break. They argue that half the break is consumed on roads from the worksites to the labour camps and vice versa,” Dr Al Kaabi said, observing that even workers were not in favour of the break introduced last summer, because their working days were eventually extended by eight hours so they did not have sufficient time to rest after the long working days.

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