By Uwin Lugoda
A trio of chairpersons from three women's organizations termed the proposed new working hours of 9.45 a.m. to 6.45 p.m. set for the private sector “impractical” for working women in Sri Lanka.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, Women's Chamber of Industry and Commerce (WCIC) Sri Lanka Chairperson Chathuri Ranasinghe, Women in Management (WIM) Founder and Chairperson Dr. Sulochana Segera, and Women in Logistics and Transport (WiLAT) Chairperson Gayathri Karunanayake pointed out that working mothers would be a section of the most affected by the new working hours.
Ranasinghe stated that the new working hours would make it difficult for mothers who pick up their children after work because most daycares do not run past 5 p.m. She stated that those women will have to pay extra for the daycares to stay open past 7 p.m. in order to come and pick up their children, which then becomes a financial hassle too.
Karunanayake agreed with this statement, adding that companies should also consider the traffic these women would have to face, which will in turn delay them from going to pick up their children and do household chores.
“Women can multitask well, so time is not the issue. I think the issue arises with the lack of resources available to women to make this time work,” she said.
Dr. Segera stated that the issue will mainly affect white collar employees who work in shops and offices, as factory workers and other blue collar employees usually work on a shift basis. She explained that most of these women would be working in middle management, being between the ages of 20 to 30, some with young children.
“It doesn’t matter if someone is finishing at 6.45 p.m.; getting into the bus and going home will take more time. And normally, a woman’s work does not stop at the office – they have to go home and work as well.”
She stated that this new timing may lead to a negative impact on women in the workforce, as some would choose to step down, face family issues, and their children would be unsafe.
Furthermore, both Dr. Segera and Ranasinghe shared their concern over the safety of these working women due to sexual harassment they might have to face at night.
Dr. Segera pointed out that 93% of the harassment of women happens in public transport during daytime, and this new time of 6.45 p.m. would only add to that percentage, especially those who are travelling in public transport such as trains and buses.
“Before pushing back the working hours, we have to consider other things like transportation, safety, and childcare. They have only looked at the economy and not the full picture.”
The working hours were recently revised by Minister of Transport Services Management Mahinda Amaraweera, for both the private and public sectors, in order to consider maintaining social distance to prevent the spread of Covid-19 by avoiding traffic congestion and improving the efficiency and productivity of public and private services.
According to the Minister’s plan, the new working hours for the public sector is between 9 a.m. to 4.45 p.m., while the working hours for the private sector are between 9.45 a.m. until 6.45 p.m. These changes are set to come into effect from the month of August, subject to Cabinet approval.Women’s chambers slam new working hours
12 Jul 2020
Women’s chambers slam new working hours
12 Jul 2020
By Uwin Lugoda
A trio of chairpersons from three women's organizations termed the proposed new working hours of 9.45 a.m. to 6.45 p.m. set for the private sector “impractical” for working women in Sri Lanka.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, Women's Chamber of Industry and Commerce (WCIC) Sri Lanka Chairperson Chathuri Ranasinghe, Women in Management (WIM) Founder and Chairperson Dr. Sulochana Segera, and Women in Logistics and Transport (WiLAT) Chairperson Gayathri Karunanayake pointed out that working mothers would be a section of the most affected by the new working hours.
Ranasinghe stated that the new working hours would make it difficult for mothers who pick up their children after work because most daycares do not run past 5 p.m. She stated that those women will have to pay extra for the daycares to stay open past 7 p.m. in order to come and pick up their children, which then becomes a financial hassle too.
Karunanayake agreed with this statement, adding that companies should also consider the traffic these women would have to face, which will in turn delay them from going to pick up their children and do household chores.
“Women can multitask well, so time is not the issue. I think the issue arises with the lack of resources available to women to make this time work,” she said.
Dr. Segera stated that the issue will mainly affect white collar employees who work in shops and offices, as factory workers and other blue collar employees usually work on a shift basis. She explained that most of these women would be working in middle management, being between the ages of 20 to 30, some with young children.
“It doesn’t matter if someone is finishing at 6.45 p.m.; getting into the bus and going home will take more time. And normally, a woman’s work does not stop at the office – they have to go home and work as well.”
She stated that this new timing may lead to a negative impact on women in the workforce, as some would choose to step down, face family issues, and their children would be unsafe.
Furthermore, both Dr. Segera and Ranasinghe shared their concern over the safety of these working women due to sexual harassment they might have to face at night.
Dr. Segera pointed out that 93% of the harassment of women happens in public transport during daytime, and this new time of 6.45 p.m. would only add to that percentage, especially those who are travelling in public transport such as trains and buses.
“Before pushing back the working hours, we have to consider other things like transportation, safety, and childcare. They have only looked at the economy and not the full picture.”
The working hours were recently revised by Minister of Transport Services Management Mahinda Amaraweera, for both the private and public sectors, in order to consider maintaining social distance to prevent the spread of Covid-19 by avoiding traffic congestion and improving the efficiency and productivity of public and private services.
According to the Minister’s plan, the new working hours for the public sector is between 9 a.m. to 4.45 p.m., while the working hours for the private sector are between 9.45 a.m. until 6.45 p.m. These changes are set to come into effect from the month of August, subject to Cabinet approval.Kapruka
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!