13-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Kerala: Amid protests, Bevco launches trial run of shift system for staff in outlets
KOTTAYAM: Amid strong protests from trade unions, including the prominent CITU-led union, the Bevco has initiated a trial run for the implementation of a shift work system for the employees in its outlets. The shift work has been introduced in its Piravom and Kanhangad outlets for the first time, with plans to expand it to more shops soon.
Under the existing work pattern, the working hours of outlet employees are from 9.30 am to 9.30 pm, with employees being paid an additional allowance for extra duty of four hours from 5.30 pm to 9.30 pm. However, in the trial run started at Piravom and Kanhangad, there are four shifts - 9.30 am to 5.30 pm, 1.30 pm to 9.30 pm, and 12 pm to 8 pm as well as a break shift from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm (4 hours) and 5.30 pm to 9.30 pm (4 hours). In the break shift, the same employees have to work both four-hour shifts.
The trial run plan also insists that the shop in-charge and shop assistant should work for 12 hours from 9.30 am to 9.30 pm and are eligible for additional allowances.
Harshita Attaluri, CMD of Bevco, said that the primary goal of implementing the shift system is to alleviate the burden of extended 12-hour duties for employees, thereby fostering a more relaxed and productive work environment at Bevco outlets.
'The Bevco employees work under difficult circumstances with 12-hour shifts and they have to work even on Sundays. This leaves them with little time to spend with their families or attend to personal needs. Additionally, with day-care centres and play schools closing by 5 pm, their children have nowhere to go, causing a lot of hardship for many people. It is in this situation that we have started the shift system on a pilot basis in two outlets,' she said.
