Singh calls for cultural shift in attitude towards leave among young workers

There is an attitude problem in the current generation of young workers where the culture needs to change.

This has been highlighted by the Minister for Employment, Agni Deo Singh while responding to a question during a consultation session at the Labasa Civic Centre.

Fiji Teachers Union Executive, Pratosh Kumar had raised concerns that the number of leave the workers take while being employed is a worrying sign.

Kumar says workers post-COVID are facing different kinds of medical conditions and many have passed at an early age and this has shown that workers are stressed.

He says he recalls that when he was a young worker, he hardly took leave but the number of leave the workers take now shows that many are going through a lot of stress.

He is requesting the Ministry of Employment to look into this so that workers are supported and they do not get stressed and are able to perform as per their job requirements.

While responding to Kumar’s concerns, Singh agreed that there are job stresses but people now take sick leave as though it is an entitlement.

Singh says they are yet to see how they will change the culture but adds that the Employment Ministry sets the minimum standards and anything above it is negotiated between the workers and the employers.

He adds he has not taken sick leave in the last 52 years except for when he got fish poisoning.