DoE's night shift proposal will not address Mindanao crisis power, poses risk to women workers instead - Maza

Makabayan-Nacionalista senatorial bet Liza Maza slammed on Thursday the Department of Energy's proposal for manufacturing companies to shift operating hours from day to night (from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) in order to address the power crisis in Mindanao.

"The proposal for workers to work in graveyard shift poses a risk to the safety and well-being of women workers. The labor and non-labor related risks are already double for women, and now they want to add to that their vulnerability to rape and sexual assaults which usually happen during night time," Maza said.

"Such a change in working hours will also burden women, who aside from their jobs also have to do unpaid house work," Maza said.

According to the three term Gabriela representative, studies have already proved the negative effects of having to work at night on women's health. The Department of Health-National Center for Disease Prevention and Control said that persons working in graveyard shift are prone to non-communicable cardiovascular and infectious diseases such as hypertension, tuberculosis and sexually-transmitted infections.

Maza pointed out that the shift in operating hours will not address the power shortage in Mindanao. The amount of energy consumed by the manufacturing companies will be the same regardless of the time they operate.

"The proposal, if approved by Malacanang, might only put workers at a disadvantage and even contribute to the unemployment problem in the country. The labor law requires companies to pay workers additional fee for the night differential, and companies that are cross-cutting due to the economic crisis may opt to exercise unfair labor practices. ###