KUALA LUMPUR: The Malayan Nurses Union (MNU) is up in arms over the government’s decision to increase the weekly working hours of nurses in the public sector from 42 hours to 45 from Aug 1.

Its president Saaidah Athman said nurses have made many sacrifices in serving the well-being of the public and they were unhappy over the additional workload piled on them.

In a letter dated May 28 to the Health Ministry secretary-general, the Public Services Department (JPA) paused the implementation of the new working arrangement scheduled to begin on June 1.

JPA also said the postponement was the last one and the new working arrangement will be implemented soon.

Another postponement was also previously granted from March 1 to May 31 upon the request from the Health Ministry.

While MNU welcomed the latest postponement, Saaidah is hoping for the ministry to maintain the current 42-hour work week instead of the 45-hour.

She said nurses in countries like Singapore and the Philippines work 40 hours a week as recommended by the International Labor Organization (ILO).

This was because regular work hours were tiring enough for nurses and that additional hours would cause exhaustion.

“Where is the justice and welfare for nurses who are the pulse, heart and backbone of the ministry.

“The current working structure in the health system must be improved.

“In other countries including Singapore, the nurses are only working in wards handling recovery work but in Malaysia, we do many tasks from taking the patients to x-rays, to the operation theatre, indenting, collecting data, being involved in audit as well as hospital activities,” she told The Star.

She added that nurses would be disappointed if the 45-hour week was implemented.

Saaidah said nurses were at the frontline of medical care during the Covid-19 pandemic and served the nation to the extent of leaving their families due to responsibilities of the job.

“Imagine if the work hours were extended but there was no review on the burden of the job and the improvements,” Saaidah said.

Nurses have previously opposed the new working hours, citing the lack of work-life balance and added workload.