Picket is a legal right provided in law to workers. It is a means for workers to struggle for better rights from their employer. MCO affects this right, but when the MCO requirements like social distancing are complied with, the police certainly must not be arresting workers and union officials for breach of MCO.
These are FRONTLINERS - they are HOSPITAL CLEANERS - and it is shocking if they are being deprived even necessary protective clothing, etc
'...to raise attention to the hospital cleaners’ grouses, including the lack of protective gear against infections, such as the Covid-19 virus...'
Union 'busting' allegations were also made, as reported...“These frontliner workers, who are cleaners in the government hospitals, are already victimised by their employer and now their rights are further trampled upon,”
“Union members especially worksite committee members have been subjected to deliberate changing of their working hours and shifts unilaterally without prior consent from them.“Workers active in union have also been punished by arbitrarily transferring them out to hospitals far away from their residence. Workers are forced to work longer hours without overtime pay,”'...employer also prohibits union activities, threatening disciplinary action against the union officials...'“Workers were not allowed to do overtime and also suffered constant verbal harassment and intimidation by Edgenta UEMS supervisors towards the union worksite committee,”
“There is no annual increment in wages, no increment of eligible number of annual paid holidays or sick leave and discontinued subsidised transport services for the workers,”
Where are the MPs and ADUNs when worker rights are violated? Should they not be rushing to resolve injustices of the people - including workers? Did the MP or ADUNs involved even care about the plight of the ordinary man - including workers and trade unions.
Even when there is an occupational accident, where workers are injured and killed, the lack of care demonstrated by these elected peoples' representatives is very disturbing.
The issue of 'SPECIAL ALLOWANCE' for front line workers - these cleaners who are at GREATER RISK as most likely their daily duties takes them to many different hospitals and clinics ...Give them the special allowance of RM600-00 now...they worked when many of us stayed at home SAFE.
...the workers were denied special government allowance of RM600 to frontline workers and the employer only paid a one-off token sum of RM300...
And now the government, vide the police, arrested the 5 picketers...Does not the government care about workers and their rights?
Five arrested outside Ipoh hospital for peaceful protest against union-busting move
IPOH, June 2 — Five picketeers were arrested about noon today after
participating in a peaceful protest in front of the Hospital Raja
Permaisuri Bainun (HRPB) here against their employer Edgenta UEMS in a
bid to claim their rights.
The five were named as M. Saraswathy, L. Danaletchumy, V. Santhiran
who are all office-bearers in the National Union of Workers in Hospital
Support and Allied Services’ (NUWHSAS) as well as P. Jothi and C.
Subramaniam @ Raja who are Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members,
according to party secretary-general A. Sivarajan.
The picket kicked off at about 11am and aimed to raise attention to
the hospital cleaners’ grouses, including the lack of protective gear
against infections, such as the Covid-19 virus and was participated by
fewer than 20 people.
“These frontliner workers, who are cleaners in the government
hospitals, are already victimised by their employer and now their rights
are further trampled upon,” Sivarajan claimed in a press statement.
He said the picketeers had followed the SOPs for the movement control
order (MCO) currently in effect in the fight against the coronavirus,
including practising social distancing but were taken in for allegedly
breaking the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 as
well as Section 186 and 269 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) for
obstructing a public servant in the discharge of his duties and
negligently acting in a way that is known will spread dangerous
diseases.
The five were arrested about an hour later.
“We call on the police to immediately release the union officials without charge or penalty,” Sivarajan added.
Sivarajan claimed that members of the NUWHSAS have been subjected to
constant harassment, victimisation and union-busting activities since
early this year after making multiple police reports and complaints to
the Human Resources Ministry against Edgenta UEMS.
“Union members especially worksite committee members have been
subjected to deliberate changing of their working hours and shifts
unilaterally without prior consent from them.
“Workers active in union have also been punished by arbitrarily
transferring them out to hospitals far away from their residence.
Workers are forced to work longer hours without overtime pay,” he
claimed.
He said the employer also prohibits union activities, threatening disciplinary action against the union officials.
“Workers were not allowed to do overtime and also suffered constant
verbal harassment and intimidation by Edgenta UEMS supervisors towards
the union worksite committee,” he said.
“Edgenta UEMS has denied proper PPE equipment when they clean the
Covid 19 wards and facilities, putting them at great risk of infection.
There is also inadequate supply of facemask and gloves for the workers,”
he further claimed.
He also pointed out that the workers were denied special government
allowance of RM600 to frontline workers and the employer only paid a
one-off token sum of RM300.
“There is no annual increment in wages, no increment of eligible
number of annual paid holidays or sick leave and discontinued subsidised
transport services for the workers,” he said.
Malay Mail has reached out to the police for comment but was unable to contact Edgenta UEMS at the time of reporting. - Malay Mail, 2/6/2020
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