UMNO-BN promises to workers and unions for GE - But history shows workers were low priority?

To gain the support of Malaysian workers and Unions for GE14, Najib and UMNO-BN makes promises again BUT alas, UMNO-BN has forgotten how it has weakened workers and their unions, how it has allowed union busting, how it has failed to protect REGULAR employment - leading to the uncontrolled growth of precarious employment in terms of short-term contract employment and even the 'contractor for labour' system...

Well, Najib you and UMNO-BN have been in power since  MERDEKA - and you could have done all these then...

'raise the minimum wage to RM1,500 in the span of five years' - well, the minimum wage should have been RM1,500 a long time ago...at least when it came to the bigger employers with more than 10 workers, and making profits. Now, you promise that in 5 years, that is 2023, the minimum wage will reach RM1,500-00 - This is nonsense, for cost of living will be so much higher..

'increase the allocation for the Social Security Organisation (Socso) by an additional RM60 million' - so that interim aid(is this the aid that is now given to workers when they are out of employment? ...'interim aid rates will be increased to RM1,000 for the first month and RM800 and RM600 respectively for the next two months...'Well, again, how do you expect workers who have lost employment to survive with just that amount? Remember also that Malaysian worker wages were kept low by the government policy, for 'attracting' the foreign investor? The possible 'social contract' between government and workers may have been you accept low wages, and the government will keep cost of living low...and basic necessities like healthcare, education, housing, etc low...Well...now cost of living has sky rocketted.

'three-day compulsory paternity leave for fathers' - well, this has been asked by Malaysian workers. It could have long been tabled in Parliament, and made law...In fact, there are so many things that the government agreed to do ...but has not done.

'...RM210 million will also be channelled to the Human Resources Development Fund Sdn Bhd to executive the Human Capital Strategic Initiatives plan...' - Well, that money really goes to employers and companies that provide training - not really to workers, does it?

'a special grant of RM3 million will go to the MTUC ' - There are now, I believe, more than 14 million workers >>> So big deal if the UMNO-BN government is giving MTUC an equivalent about 20 sen per worker...Remember not all Trade Unions are members of MTUC, what about the other Trade Unions...the other about 70% of the Trade Unions?

Remember also UMNO-BN government maybe the biggest Union Buster - having ended several in-house trade unions in Malaysian Airlines...MAS when it caused the transfer of all business to the new MAB. All workers in the previous MAS were terminated...and the new MAB then employed some of them...Of course in-house unions in the old MAS would come to an end...

So, is the UMNO-BN concerned about worker and trade union rights - In my opinion, the answer is NO...

Come General Elections, Najib and UMNO-BN can make a lot of promises...but are these not things that they could have done when in government since MERDEKA?

Worker and trade union rights in BN-ruled Malaysia (Part 1)

Workers’ and trade union rights in BN-ruled Malaysia (Part 2)

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47 Groups :- WORKER AND TRADE UNION RIGHTS MUST BE PRIORITIZED FOR THE WELLBEING OF THE WORKER AND THEIR FAMILIES

Increase in wage if BN wins: Najib (Updated)

Posted on 1 May 2018 - 01:45pm
Last updated on 1 May 2018 - 05:09pm

Rajvinder Singh

Malaysian caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak during his opening remarks for the National Workers Day at the Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur on May 1, 2018. — Sunpix by Norman Hiu

KUALA LUMPUR: Caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak today said the current minimum wage of RM920 for Sabah and Sarawak and RM1,000 for Peninsula Malaysia will be raised if Barisan Nasional retains power.

Speaking at the national Labour Day celebration at the Putra World Trade Centre here, he said the new rate would be announced later this year.

"We will increase the minimum wage from the current rates. If you want the higher rate, then vote for BN," he said in his speech to more than 5,000 people who attended the event.

The announcement was one of five made by Najib during his speech.

BN had in its manifesto earlier pledged to raise the minimum wage to RM1,500 in the span of five years.

He said if the BN is retained, it will also increase the allocation for the Social Security Organisation (Socso) by an additional RM60 million.

He said with this addition, interim aid rates will be increased to RM1,000 for the first month and RM800 and RM600 respectively for the next two months.

He also announced that his administration will introduce a three-day compulsory paternity leave for fathers if BN won and this will be tabled in Parliament no later than early 2019.

He said RM210 million will also be channelled to the Human Resources Development Fund Sdn Bhd to executive the Human Capital Strategic Initiatives plan.

"To appreciate the loyalty of workers across the country towards the government all this time, a special grant of RM3 million will go to the MTUC," Najib said

The funds will be pumped into the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC), which will channel it for disbursement through the various workers' unions.