MTUC representatives picketed at Parliament demanding the withdrawal of the Bill to amend the Employment Act 1955...
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| (Free Malaysia Today photo of MTUC Picket at Parliament on 3/10/2011) |
Employment(Amendment) Bill 2011 - the Bill and why must oppose?
MTUC pickets outside Parliament
UPDATED @ 01:26:24 PM 03-10-2011October 03, 2011KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — A 200-strong group from the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) turned up to protest at Parliament’s gates this morning against the government’s proposed revision of the Employment Act, while its top leaders and and the Malaysian Employers Federation are locked in a meeting with the human resources minister.
The group started singing and shouting “Tarik balik! Tarik balik! [Take it back! Take it back!]”, referring to the proposed changes to the labour law, but have not turned unruly under the watchful eyes of some 30 policemen on standby.
MTUC president Mohd Khalid Atan had expressed concern the revision will not properly protect the rights of contract workers, saying that the Bill should not go through as it had not been approved at the NLAC.
MTUC members picket outside Parliament in Kuala Lumpur on October 3, 2011 to protest the government’s proposed revision of labour laws — Picture by Choo Choy MayAccording to MTUC vice-president A. Balasubramaniam, the meeting, chaired by minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam at the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC), started at 10am.
“We went ahead with the picket to express our disappointment with the proposed amendments,” Balasubramaniam said, adding he expected more supporters will show up later.
At the picket line, Khalid said: “I have handed a letter to the minister with regards to the amendments to the Employment Bill. We also told him that we have to be at the picket line.
“We hope the government and also the minister concerned will look into our grievances and whatever clauses we have brought up,” he added.
Khalid said MTUC wanted the workers’ fundamental rights to be upheld.
“We are of the opinion that the amendments will erode workers’ rights and job security in tenure.
“So we request the government especially Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to intervene,” he said.
Khalid said as the Bill was not going to be tabled today, the MTUC would have further discussions on its next course of action at its next annual general council.- Malaysian Insider, 3/10/2011, MTUC pickets outside Parliament
200 unionists picket outside Parliament
Some 200 members of the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) picketed in front of Parliament House today in protest against amendments proposed for the Employment Act 1955.
They said the proposed amendments were not in the interests of workers and the government had failed to engage trade unions before moving forward with the changes.
The picket began at 10.55am with the trade union officers and members carrying banners demanding Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam to withdraw the proposed amendments, which they said would jeopordise workers' rights.
Forming a column at the entrance to Parliament House, they chanted, "Withdraw employment law changes" and "Long live MTUC". - Malaysiakini, 6/10/2011, 200 unionists picket outside Parliament
They said the proposed amendments were not in the interests of workers and the government had failed to engage trade unions before moving forward with the changes.The picket began at 10.55am with the trade union officers and members carrying banners demanding Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam to withdraw the proposed amendments, which they said would jeopordise workers' rights.
Forming a column at the entrance to Parliament House, they chanted, "Withdraw employment law changes" and "Long live MTUC". - Malaysiakini, 6/10/2011, 200 unionists picket outside Parliament
MTUC stages protest at Parliament
MTUC wants Prime Minister Najib to intervene to call off the proposed amendment to the Employment Act and vows to hold more pickets.
UPDATED
KUALA LUMPUR: About 80 people from the Malaysia Trades Union Congress (MTUC) arrived outside the Parliament this morning to protest against a proposed amendment to the Employment Act 1955.
The crowd, which arrived at 10.45am, argued that the proposed amendmens would further infringe workers’ rights in Malaysia.
Present by MTUC’s side were its affiliate National Union of Banking Employees (NUBE), and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) chairman and treasurer, Nasir Hashim and A Sivarajan.
Also present were about 30 police officers guarding the Parliament’s entrance.
The protest took place despite a tripartite meeting taking place at about the same time to find an amicable solution to the problem.
The meeting involved representatives from the employees led by MTUC president Khalid Atan, Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) and Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam and took place at the Socso building in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur.
“We are aware of the meeting but we continue with the picket to make our demands clear to the government,” said Balasubramaniam.
For months the MTUC had called upon the government to withdraw the proposed amendment, arguing that that the proposed law would be detrimental to the workers.
Najib should intervene
Among others, MTUC said, the new amendment would relinquish the employers of their responsibilities from compensating their workers when retrenched during tough economic times.
The amended law would also allow employers to delay overtime payments to their workers by a month.Khalid (photo) arrived from the meeting at about 11.15am and told the crowd that the proposed amendment would only be tabled at the end of this month.
He said he had submitted a letter of protest to Subramaniam and urged the government to withdraw the proposed amendment altogether.
“And the minister had agreed to look into the matter,” said Khalid.
Urging Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to intervene, he also said that MTUC would not hesitate to hold another picket if the government was adamant about the amendment.
“But such a decision will not come from me alone. It will be the decision of the our general workers’ council,” said Khalid.
KUALA LUMPUR: The MTUC went ahead with its picket outside Parliament Monday to protest proposed amendments to the Employment Act.
MTUC president Mohd Khalid Atan said he had briefed the Human Resources Minister and handed him a letter expressing their grievances at a meeting at the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) earlier in the morning, before joining the picket.
"We hope the Prime Minister will intervene in this matter," he said.
On whether they would go on strike, he said "maybe", adding that they would wait for the Goverment to respond to their requests.
Khalid also said they would decide on their next course of action at the MTUC general council meeting on Oct 10.
The picket, which saw about 200 workers gathering outside Parliament, ended at 11.40am.
"We went ahead with the picket to express our disappointment with the proposed amendments," said MTUC vice-president A. Balasubramaniam.
Mohd Khalid had expressed concern that the proposed amendment would not properly protect the rights of contract labourers, adding that the Bill should not go through as it had not been tabled or deliberated at the NLAC. - Star, 3/10/2011, MTUC pickets outside Parliament
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