As thousands of workers enjoy the Santa Marija holiday weekend, traditionally the peak of Malta’s mid-summer slowdown, many can almost rest assured that their annual August shutdown or seasonal half-day ‘perk’ is safe – at least for now in some sectors.
Business groups and unions stand on opposing sides of the ring on the summer issue. August is generally a dead-slow month across many countries in Europe where cities like Milan and Brussels witness an exodus as workers go on holiday and productivity plummets. But can the continent still afford to switch off for a season or a month as competing regions up the stakes on competitiveness?
The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry has an issue with the half-day practice, particularly where the public sector is concerned, and reiterates its insistence that the practice needs revisiting.
“Such a system creates costs, delays and inconvenience, to the detriment of competitiveness,” the Chamber told The Sunday Times.
“Our country surely cannot afford such a luxury. Modern-day conveniences such as air-conditioning should have rendered this practice obsolete.”
The private sector, the Chamber insisted, requires the support of an efficient public service – in order for the public service to perform at its best. It must be committed to deliver value, meeting people’s needs through a result-oriented approach and seeking high levels of productivity.
The Chamber is less critical of shutdowns, although it says it would not favour a similar practice being adopted by public sector entities offering vital services to the business community and the public.
Decisions on shutdowns are made by companies which are conscious of the needs of clients, employees and other stakeholders – and in the interest of the company’s competitiveness.
“In implementing such a policy, the company would certainly choose the best timing and duration,” the Chamber pointed out. “The Chamber believes the shutdown is an instrument that can assist management in the efficient running of a business and we have no objection to a shutdown in the private sector.”
The Malta Employers Association told The Sunday Times it should be up to organisations to determine the best way to distribute working hours to satisfy their clients’ needs most effectively.
According to the MEA, companies utilise the August shutdown to use up part of the leave at a time when most of their clients are also on holiday or when services are in low demand. The association warned it would be unwise for any tourism organisation to have a shutdown in peak periods, although companies operating in the sector have a shutdown in the winter.
The major bone of contention with shorter working days in the summer is that there are cases where the issue is seen to be a condition of employment rather than a means to increase productivity.
“One cannot have cases whereby shorter working days result in a lack of service or higher cost to clients, as is the case with some government departments,” the MEA warned.
“It is a fact that more companies are abandoning the half day practice. Many companies in the private sector are phasing out shorter working days but several are retaining the summer shutdown.”
The association cited two main reasons: air-conditioning and customers expecting service during extended, rather than shorter working hours. As organisations operated in increasingly competitive working environments, both locally and internationally, they had to ensure availability of product or service to clients.
But with people taking shorter breaks more frequently was the August shutdown or summer half-days really necessary anymore or was the heat still a significant factor?
The MEA said in industries such as manufacturing and construction the soaring temperatures meant productivity fell. Besides, employees and management looked forward to spending quality time with family and friends.
Edwin Balzan, the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin’s Government Employees Section secretary, said the union considered summer working practices to be part of the family-friendly measures package.
He emphasised that employees who enjoyed half days worked extra time during the winter to earn the benefit of spending time with relatives and friends.
Asked about the effect on national productivity, Mr Balzan stressed that less than a third of public service employees were granted half days and explained that when taking into account the extra hours worked by these employees during winter, they were still working an average 40 hours a week during the calendar year. Much has been said about summer half days enjoyed by public servants but as yet no proof of less productivity been forwarded, he insisted.
Shifting of working hours was always subject to negotiations between unions and employers: when half days are eliminated, other working conditions like flexitime, teleworking and other family-friendly measures were introduced, Mr Balzan added.
The General Workers’ Union had a similar stance on local summer work practices and does not believe national productivity is affected.
Charles Vella, the union’s media executive, said that when possible and in fitting circumstances, the union worked to negotiate the practices into collective agreements, particularly as they were deemed to be beneficial to both employees and organisations.
Besides giving workers relief from the heat and allowing them to enjoy activities in their home towns, the summer shutdown allowed firms to plan seasonal production schedules and to work around periods when many employees requested time off.