12-hour shift for Goa’s factories in the works

Panaji: Factory timings in the state are soon to get longer as the government is expected to extend  working hours on the shop floor for the local industry to function longer hours during the ongoing lockdown.  

A senior official in the government on Monday revealed that an amendment in the State Factory Rules to permit extension in the working hours by four hours is on the verge of being notified.

“Presently factories in the state operate on the eight-hour shift and after the amendment they will be able to run a 12-hour shift,” the official said.

He said the extension is in response to demand from the industry, specifically by the Goa Small Industries Association, which had asked for longer timings due to the shortage of staff. 

Several states like Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan have increased the working hours in factories for three months (during the ongoing lockdown) by invoking special powers under the Factories Act of 1948. It is learnt that Maharashtra is also in the process of increasing factory timings.  In Goa, the industry has asked for extension in the number of working hours and said that extra hours should be proportionately paid and should be treated as overtime.

The demand is to ensure that production in factories does not take a hit with limited workforce as social distancing measures have to be met during the operations.

The state industry has been operating at only 25 per cent to 30 per cent of capacity due to commuting problems of workers owing to the travel restrictions.

The CII-Goa has also asked for increase in the number of working hours and said that amendments in the Factories Act, must consider 12 working hours for a day and 72 working hours for a week.

Since April 20, industrial units in the state have been permitted to function in the midst of the lockdown. However, industrial activity has been low-key due to the problems of social distancing, travel permits for staff, raw material shortage, less employees arriving to work, etc.