one female workers have stopped working at lingerie shops here complaining about the poor pay structure and long working hours. The workers, from the first batch of saleswomen employed after the Ministry of Labor made it mandatory that only women should be working at lingerie shops, are particularly aghast at the two-shift system most outlets have. If they have to work in two shifts, the female workers contend, their salaries should be increased “to compensate for the nature of our tough job,” reports in the Arabic press said Friday. Mansour Abu Rayash, member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Riyadh, acknowledged that the split shift work system in lingerie shops is not in conformity with the work culture of Saudi women. “The split shift system does not suit the nature of conservative Saudi society especially for married women who have to take care of their families,” he said. However, Massad Fahd Al-Tekhafi, Assistant Undersecretary for Planning and Development, chose to downplay the impact of women workers leaving their jobs. “It is normal for two or three women to leave the job,” he said. He said some of the lingerie shops have already switched to a one-shift system.
