MTUC calls for the abolition of the 'labour supplier system'

Abolish labour supplier system

Posted on 24 June 2014 - 08:56pm
Last updated on 24 June 2014 - 09:49pm

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) secretary-general, N. Gopal Kishnam said the government has to abolish the labour supplier system and review the recruitment on government-to-government basis to curb human trafficking. 

The government has issued more than 200 licences authorising labour suppliers, also known as "contractors of labour" and "labour outsourcing companies", which has led to human trafficking.

"Since 2007, the government has changed the migrant worker recruitment policy by licensing labour suppliers to flood the country with migrant workers," said Gopal today. 

He added that the government's decision to issue licences to labour suppliers is a contradiction of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act 2007.

"MTUC has repeatedly highlighted the abuses and the suffering of these workers and the Labour Department is fully aware of their predicament but they cannot take effective action as the labour suppliers cannot be traced," added Gopal. - The Sun Daily, 24/6/2014, Abolish labour supplier system

See also:-

Malaysia downgraded to Tier 3 - Trafficking in Persons Report 2014 - contractor for labour system, etc.. blamed?

   

2.    ABOLISH THE ‘CONTRACTOR FOR LABOUR SYSTEM’ – ENSURE DIRECT EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WORKER AND OWNER/OPERATOR OF WORKPLACES

Direct employment relationship with the owner/operator of the workplace known as the principal, is essential to ensure stable employment, noting that employers do have the obligation to ensure worker rights and welfare are best protected. A contractor for labour (COL) should never be employers, and their role, if any, is to supply workers to owner/operators of workplace or alternatively find workers work with employers who need workers, and for the service rendered they should be paid a fee.

It is the owner/operator of workplaces, known as the principal, who should be having direct employment relationship with workers that work at their workplaces. This demand, amongst others, had been made vide the joint statement by 93 groups dated 3/5/2012 entitled, ‘Abolish the ‘Contractor for Labour’ system - Withdraw the 2012 amendments to Employment Act 1955’, and also vide the earlier statement by 115 groups on 28/10/2011 entitled,‘Malaysia Must Protect Worker and Union Rights, and withdraw proposed unjust amendments to Employment Act - Labour Suppliers Should Not Be Employers’. We also draw attention to the Malaysian Bar Resolution of 2012 expressing the same sentiment, which amongst others said ‘The Malaysian Bar takes the stand that labour suppliers and/or contractors of labour should never be or continue to be employers of workers after they are supplied, accepted and start working at the workplaces of principals or owners. Thereafter, these workers shall be employees of the principal or owners of the workplace.’ We also recall the MTUC initiated pickets and protests against the ‘contractor for labour system’.  - 47 Groups :- WORKER AND TRADE UNION RIGHTS MUST BE PRIORITIZED FOR THE WELLBEING OF THE WORKER AND THEIR FAMILIES