KOTA KINABALU: All healthcare workers, including those in complementary sectors and those on shift duties, should also be permitted a 42-hour work week, says the Sabah Medical Services Union (SMSU).
SMSU President Ajulahin Japin praised the federal government for abandoning plans to enforce a 45-hour work week for more than 82,000 healthcare workers. He also suggested that this change should be applied to other healthcare industry workers.
“SMSU urges the government to extend this decision to include all other healthcare workers who also work on shift duty, such as pharmacy assistants, ambulance drivers, and other clinical support staff who are similarly affected by shift work demands and heavy workloads,” he said.
On July 11, the Public Services Department (PSD) stated that the exemption would involve a total of 82,637 healthcare personnel, comprising nurses, community nurses, medical officers in emergency departments, assistant medical officers and healthcare assistants.
This followed opposition after the announcement of the implementation of a 45-hour per week shift work schedule under the Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA), which was scheduled to take effect on March 1.
An interim moratorium on the 45-hour work week for healthcare staff was extended by three months on March 8.
