The UMNO-led Barisan Nasional government is really not at all interested in the rights of workers, especially their right to unionize - a right that will give workers in Malaysia the ability to unite and demand for better and more just terms and conditions.
UNIONS was the means for workers to come together and negotiate better terms and condition with their employers, and, of course, employers are not at all interested in any form of association and union. They prefer to kepp workers 'divided' - and hence easier to exploit.
UNIONS was the means for workers to come together and negotiate better terms and condition with their employers, and, of course, employers are not at all interested in any form of association and union. They prefer to kepp workers 'divided' - and hence easier to exploit.
Over the years, even the existing Malaysian Unions have been weakened. How? By the retrenchment and VSS schemes that got rid of permanent directly employed workers - and by starting to use workers from Labour Supply companies/agents or Out-Sourcing companies. By doing this, the employer company is no longer the employer, and although working in the same factory/office/premise/banks, these workers are in fact the workers of the respective Labour Supply companies/agents or Out-Sourcing companies. Hence, these workers will not qualify to be members of the existing unions.
Of course, these workers can form new unions, but these will be under a different category - i.e. union of these Labour Supply companies/agents or Out-Sourcing companies, and this is very very difficult as each of these Labour Supply companies/agents or Out-Sourcing companies normally will have the workers on short-term fixed contracts, and they keep their workers apart and separated because they send workers to so many different companies/factories/offices/etc - making it very difficult for workers to unite and organize themselves into worker unions and associations.
NUBE (National Union of Banking Employees) also have been weakened over the years as banks have started 'out-sourcing' large portions of the bank's work to other companies. Most banks have already out-sourced their internet/phone banking, and even their cheque verification work. Security personnel are from Security companies. Maintenance and Cleaning personell are from Cleaning Companies. With more and more automation - ATMs, Internet/Phone Banking, etc - the number of employees will be further reduced - and the end result will be a general weakening of the Unions.
NUPW (National Union of Plantation Workers), once the strongest union in the country was weakened by using workers from these Labour Supply companies/agents or Out-Sourcing companies. Some Plantations today have so few direct employees - maybe just a few for management work - and the rest of the work have been contracted out to other companies, who do the tapping and send the rubber collected to a central collection point, who pluck the oil palm kernels and send to a particular place,...hence, today, even if the NUPW were to go for a 'strike action', which was the most powerful bargaining tool of workers united, it may no longer work..
Employers rule - workers have been weakened, and clearly the UMNO-led BN government is on the side of the Employers...
Loopholes - these workers are not mine, says company. They are the workers from this and that company - hence, they do not qualify to be members of the union of this company's workers.
The government must do something - and, I suggest...
- Permit only direct employing of workers by companies, where the workers actually work...this means that all workers that work at Hotel MMM are all employees of Hotel MMM, and are thus form a union of Hotel MMM's workers, or join existing union of Hotel MMM's workers....
- Make it mandatory for all employers of 10 or more workers to cause the formation of a workers' union in their company...
Without being organized and being part of a workers' union or trade union, workers are more easily 'cheated' by some employers. They just sign...and sign any document placed in front of them. Some workers also agreed to several months pay-cuts, without even being aware of the fact that they can refuse...or better still agree to it subject to being paid back the amount of wages cut when things improve, or within a defined period of 6 months, etc...or before they are retrenched/terminated. Some companies have deceived workers by giving the impression that they will be paid back later all that will be cut now later, and that is why the workers signed papers agreeing to these pay-cuts....BUT smartly the company did not have anything in writing about 'pay-backs', etc...in the documents that were signed...the workers were cheated. It may most likely not have happened if the workers had been unionized ..
The UMNO-led BN government is caught up with the performance of the share/stock markets...and is much more concerned with the wellbeing of companies and its shareholders - BUT not its workers and their families.
What about the Pakatan Rakyat - where does your concern lie? The workers...or the Companies and their shareholders?
The article in NST quoted above is laid out in full below:-
Of course, these workers can form new unions, but these will be under a different category - i.e. union of these Labour Supply companies/agents or Out-Sourcing companies, and this is very very difficult as each of these Labour Supply companies/agents or Out-Sourcing companies normally will have the workers on short-term fixed contracts, and they keep their workers apart and separated because they send workers to so many different companies/factories/offices/etc - making it very difficult for workers to unite and organize themselves into worker unions and associations.
NUBE (National Union of Banking Employees) also have been weakened over the years as banks have started 'out-sourcing' large portions of the bank's work to other companies. Most banks have already out-sourced their internet/phone banking, and even their cheque verification work. Security personnel are from Security companies. Maintenance and Cleaning personell are from Cleaning Companies. With more and more automation - ATMs, Internet/Phone Banking, etc - the number of employees will be further reduced - and the end result will be a general weakening of the Unions.
NUPW (National Union of Plantation Workers), once the strongest union in the country was weakened by using workers from these Labour Supply companies/agents or Out-Sourcing companies. Some Plantations today have so few direct employees - maybe just a few for management work - and the rest of the work have been contracted out to other companies, who do the tapping and send the rubber collected to a central collection point, who pluck the oil palm kernels and send to a particular place,...hence, today, even if the NUPW were to go for a 'strike action', which was the most powerful bargaining tool of workers united, it may no longer work..
Employers rule - workers have been weakened, and clearly the UMNO-led BN government is on the side of the Employers...
The weakening of workers and workers unions in Malaysia is really something that has been happening for some time - not just now, during the global economic crisis.THE National Union of Hotels, Bars and Restaurants' Workers said 12 of the country's largest hotels were using loopholes in the Employment Act to deny its workers the right to form unions.
NUHBRW general-secretary Emanuel Angelus @ John said the hotels preferred to hire foreigners as they could be manipulated and forced to work under conditions specified in their contracts.
"We learnt that many of the foreign workers are underpaid and forced to do overtime. Their benefits are also inferior as compared to local workers," said John, whose union represents 10,000 workers. - The New Straits Times, 15/6/2009, News Focus/Services sector: Economic slowdown a worry for all
Loopholes - these workers are not mine, says company. They are the workers from this and that company - hence, they do not qualify to be members of the union of this company's workers.
The government must do something - and, I suggest...
- Permit only direct employing of workers by companies, where the workers actually work...this means that all workers that work at Hotel MMM are all employees of Hotel MMM, and are thus form a union of Hotel MMM's workers, or join existing union of Hotel MMM's workers....
- Make it mandatory for all employers of 10 or more workers to cause the formation of a workers' union in their company...
Without being organized and being part of a workers' union or trade union, workers are more easily 'cheated' by some employers. They just sign...and sign any document placed in front of them. Some workers also agreed to several months pay-cuts, without even being aware of the fact that they can refuse...or better still agree to it subject to being paid back the amount of wages cut when things improve, or within a defined period of 6 months, etc...or before they are retrenched/terminated. Some companies have deceived workers by giving the impression that they will be paid back later all that will be cut now later, and that is why the workers signed papers agreeing to these pay-cuts....BUT smartly the company did not have anything in writing about 'pay-backs', etc...in the documents that were signed...the workers were cheated. It may most likely not have happened if the workers had been unionized ..
The UMNO-led BN government is caught up with the performance of the share/stock markets...and is much more concerned with the wellbeing of companies and its shareholders - BUT not its workers and their families.
What about the Pakatan Rakyat - where does your concern lie? The workers...or the Companies and their shareholders?
The article in NST quoted above is laid out in full below:-
Alam Anika Sdn Bhd janitor M. Mageswary says her advice to the unemployed is not to wait for the jobs to come to them. |
THE National Union of Hotels, Bars and Restaurants' Workers said 12 of the country's largest hotels were using loopholes in the Employment Act to deny its workers the right to form unions.
NUHBRW general-secretary Emanuel Angelus @ John said the hotels preferred to hire foreigners as they could be manipulated and forced to work under conditions specified in their contracts.
"We learnt that many of the foreign workers are underpaid and forced to do overtime. Their benefits are also inferior as compared to local workers," said John, whose union represents 10,000 workers.
* The Malaysian Employers Federation said more than 26,000 people had lost their jobs so far this year.
MEF executive director Hamsuddin Bardan said he expected further job losses despite the RM60 billion stimulus package.
"The package has not provided immediate incentives for companies to retain their employees and the situation remains bleak for local workers."
Another 21,000 workers are expected to be retrenched over the next few months, while some large employers, including CIMB Bank, the country's second largest banking group, has told 36,000 employees to go on unpaid leave for up to six months.
* Despite the economic slowdown, hypermarket Carrefour Malaysia is not planning to retrench workers.
"Carrefour Malaysia is taking steps to minimise the effects of the recession," said Low Ngai Yuen, its marketing and communications director.
She added that the company had taken into account demand for its services.
"We have decided to capitalise on existing talents by offering our staff career-growth opportunities. They include refresher and development courses, monetary incentives like bonuses, merit increment and savings schemes and perks."
"Foreign workers whose contracts have expired will not be rehired. This is in line with the country's policy to give preference to Malaysians."
Carrefour has 17 stores with a staff strength of 4,000. - The New Straits Times, 15/6/2009, News Focus/Services sector: Economic slowdown a worry for all
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