THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government is all likely to go ahead with its proposal to introduce five-day work week after the service unions in-principle agreed to it during a meeting on Friday.

All recognised service unions that attended the meeting conveyed consent towards implementing a proposal to make Saturday a holiday albeit with a caveat that they should not be stripped of their current entitlements.

Sources said the government might push forward with the proposal by trimming the casual leave to 15 and earned leave to 30.

The order might be issued before polls for which service rules ought to be tweaked in advance. Sources said the service outfits pointed out that they have not raised such a demand, but welcome it wholeheartedly provided the government does not curtail existing rights.

However, office-bearers of unions from health sector felt the proposal might affect their weekly off as well as leave. Medical college hospital doctors have been already reeling under heavy workload and the five-day work week could cause further encumbrance, they said, and recommended further discussions before arriving at a conclusion.