The Opposition has hit out over news that the Government is considering a union proposal to reduce the working week, branding it as "political pandering and nothing more".

Education Minister Randy Horton told a Bermuda Industrial Union banquet on August 29 that Government is seriously considering its suggestion that 35 hours rather than 37.5 should be the norm.

Mr. Horton, who was Acting Premier at the time, said the plan could have a positive impact on the growing problem of youth violence by allowing parents more time to spend with their children. The openness to the idea appears to be a change in stance on the part of the Government.

It opposed a similar proposal from the BIU in 2006 and won against the union when the matter went to arbitration.

Defending the proposal in a 2006 interview with this newspaper the then President of the BIUDerrick Burgess – who is currently Minister of Works and Engineering – said:"A 35-hour working week is normal in Bermuda for Government workers, banks and office workers.

"The civil servants have been on a 35-hour week since the 1980s and we want to be in conformity with them.

"If the civil servants are working a shorter week than their subordinates, that doesn't bode well. The benefits of a reduced week will be that the workers will have more time with their families. It should also relieve some stress and help with sickness levels."

The latest attempt by the union to secure shorter hours received a mixed response earlier this week, with the Family Centre and Bermuda Employers' Council welcoming the idea of promoting family time but expressing concern over jeopardising economic stability and the work ethic.

Adding his voice to the debate yesterday, Shadow Minister for Finance E.T (Bob) Richards said:"The United Bermuda Party welcomes any serious debate on ideas that can advance the interests of the people of Bermuda, but floating the idea of a 35-hour work week on Labour Day weekend was an essentially shallow, cynical exercise.

"The Government made no commitment to it whatsoever while urging union leaders to 'keep on talking', nor did it define the issue in any way, such as whether or not it would apply to all employers, or whether it would apply to all workers or just Government workers.

"This was not a serious proposal but political pandering and nothing more."This was about grabbing headlines, diverting attention from ongoing labour troubles and, at the end of the day, advancing no one's interest but its own."

Martha Dismont, executive director of the Family Centre said on Tuesday that hard-pressed parents often have to work three jobs to make ends meet, and children would benefit from having more time with them.

Reflecting on that topic, Mr. Richards said:"On the surface, the idea of giving parents more time with their children by enabling them to spend less time at work makes sense.

"But the change, if enacted, would work out to an average of 30 minutes a day.

"We do not believe that amount of time is enough to make any meaningful difference in the supervision of children, particularly for parents working multiple jobs.

"Perhaps as part of a comprehensive strategy, flexible hours could be implemented to enable parents to be with children during the all-important hours directly after school.

"But how would the Government guarantee that this extra time would be spent actually parenting children?

"The challenge of youth alienation in Bermuda is too great, too complex and too serious for oversimplified suggestions.

"Once again, we urge the Government, if it is serious about the addressing the problems of youth alienation, to bring a more disciplined focus to the issue.

"In particular, we urge the Government to form a special task to delineate the problem, determine what needs to be done and develop and coordinate policies for unified action."

He also noted that France abolished the 35-hour working week earlier this year, having introduced it in 1998.

Since coming to power, President Nicolas Sarkozy has blamed it for damaging the country's economic competitiveness.

"It is worth noting that the 35-hour work week is in retreat around the world... for France, the 35-hour work week cost the country dearly in terms of its global competitiveness.

"Studies showed that international executives often cited the 35-hour week as a reason not to operate in France," said Mr. Richards.

"This is something that Bermuda needs to be acutely aware of as it considers reducing working hours.

"Bermuda-based international companies are already outsourcing jobs to overseas jurisdictions because of high local operating costs. These are jobs held mostly by Bermudians.

"In addition, small businesses, most of which operate on small margins, would be made more vulnerable. These businesses employ hundreds of Bermudians.

"Bermuda's high costs continue to deter local and international business formations. Reducing the work week would increase our costs.

"Doing so at a time when the world is in the grip of an economic slowdown would be self-defeating and disastrous economic management.

"It is essential that we remain competitive. We need policies to retain a strong economy and to provide the variety of jobs that parents and young adults will need to earn a living, raise families and contribute to a better Bermuda.

"Chris Furbert, the current President of the BIU, declined a request for an interview last night, but said he is planning a press conference.