Minister of Labor Adel Fakieh's proposal that all employees in the private sector should get two off days has been received with open arms by private sector employees. The consensus was that the proposal — which has yet to be ratified — will boost and speed up the localization process in the private sector. Supporters pointed to the international convention of a two-day weekend as the benchmark to emulate. Comments were streaming across the blogosphere and social media sites thick and fast. Saeed Al-Sulaiman, an employee in the private sector in Riyadh, said it was wrong to believe that working for six days increases the productivity. The compulsory absence of the employee from his social and family environment is not ideal. This explains why government jobs are so prized — even if it is below the salary expectations.” Naif Fayyad goes further by emphasizing how some people view government jobs as their dream because of the working hours – this includes the two-day weekend and the long holidays during the two Eids. Bandr believes that most company owners only care for their own interests and don't feel concerned about their employees' comfort. “They care only about themselves and forget about the workers.” On a similar theme, Abu Ayamn fears that the private companies may resort to adding hours to the five-day week to compensate for the loss. He suggests that the daily business hours should be limited to 8 A.M. to 6 P.M. Abdullah agrees wholeheartedly. “Had the businessmen worked in our places, they would have changed their stand and realized the pain we are bearing. Do you believe that the businessmen will easily agree to give us two days off? Definitely they will comply with the new regulations but they will think about a plan to compensate this.” Hassan Al-Tamimi was in the small minority urging caution for the proposal. He said making things difficult for the businessmen could discourage them from investment in the Kingdom. He thinks it's not advisable to imitate the west in everything we do as a nation. “It is true that there is much work in the private sector but the job benefits and big salaries compensate this. We should look at the matter in all its dimensions” he added. Iyyad's views, however, are with the majority. “We are not obliged to submit to the desires of the business owners: nothing satisfies their greed for more money and profits. We should also bear in mind that work is not everything in life. There are more important things in life like looking after your kids, sitting with your wife and indulging in your hobbies. You must also have time to develop your skills. You can't do all this with one day off and long work hours.” Al-Jazi said she has been hearing for more than four years that the workers in the private sector will be given two days weekend. This raises a crucial question when this committee will finish its task and make the judgment binding. “Do we need to work for six hours indefinitely to prove that we need two days off?” she asks rhetorically with tongue in cheek. The ironic tone was mirrored by Mashar: “We don't want two-day weekends because we have already developed the habit of working like machines. We have become work addicts thus we need psychiatric hospitals to treat us from the incessant mental pressure, depression, compulsive obsessive disorders, anxiety, frustration, and schizophrenia!” Footnote: A senior economist said it is for the best for the Kingdom to move to a Friday and Saturday weekend. He points out that the economy loses more than $47 billion yearly because of the current Thursday and Friday weekend.
