“If the Government is serious about relieving cost of living pressures in a targeted way, then it must follow through on today’s promise and make it a priority to compensate them for rising fuel bills. It’s the right thing to do,” Fitzsimmons said in a statement.
“These workers were already being undercompensated before the fuel crisis. They are also disadvantaged by the Government’s scrapping of a pay equity pay rise last year. They cannot afford to subsidise the cost of delivering essential government-funded services.”
Requests for accommodation
The union’s request for accommodation comes as governments across the world introduce measures to support employees in the wake of rising fuel prices.
Vietnam and Thailand have encouraged public employees to work from home and take up other energy-saving measures, such as avoiding overseas trips, to alleviate demand for fuel.
In the Philippines, the government also introduced a four-day work week, either through a compressed work week or a designated common day for working from home, amid an “urgent need to adopt strict energy conservation measures.”