23 Aug 2010

CNMI public sector fears more cuts

3:13 pm on 23 August 2010

Government workers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas can expect to be given notice about reduced work hours from October.

Governor Benigno Fitial is expanding austerity measures implemented on mainly contract workers back in April that cut worker hours down to just 70 per two weeks and abolished non-essential positions.

The Fitial administration said the reduction would be enforced regardless of the final version of the new Budget..

Our correspondent, Mark Rabago, says in an effort to save money, the move is to cut the hours of all government employees from 80 to just 64 hours per pay period.

"They plan to send out the notices before August 31. So thirty days after the employees receive their notices, that there would be reduced work hours, it would start implementing. So probably the start of the fiscal year in October, that's when this reduction would take effect."

Mark Rabago.

The 16-hour cut per pay period would mean a four-day working week.