PUTRAJAYA, 13 Dec: The Central Government should give serious attention to the plight of workers and not merely be in favour of employers.
The President of MTUC, Mohd Khalid Atan, said that the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) will continue to picket if the Central Government is still indifferent to problems which have long plagued workers in this country.
“Our voices have not been given attention in spite of various efforts and a letter given. The ministry still remains silent. That is why we chose to picket as a message that our efforts have not disappeared in defending workers’ rights.
“We respect the Minister (Richard), we also know that he is new to the office. So we hope that he will take a positive step in solving all these problems.
Khalid said this when met by reporters while attending the MTUC picketing, her in front of the entrance of the Ministry of Human Resources yesterday.
About 500 people, including employees and MTUC picketed in response to the refusal for MOHR to defend employees’ complaints.
Also present was the MTUC Committee Chairman, Abdul Razak Md Hassan and the Executive Secretary of the National Union of Workers of Transportation Tools and Associates, Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud.
Among the items highlighted to be addressed is the implementation of the National Minimum Wage without discrimination and the private retirement age of 60 years without exceptions as well as the cessation of outsourcing.
“We urge the ministry (MOHR) for the implementation and enforcement of the retirement age and minimum wage to no longer be postponed. If it continues, we will not hesitate to continue to organise demonstrations.
“The ministry should also consider the basics of how the implementation of the RM900 minimum wage a month can be practiced. This is because we have received many complaints from employees where the employers include allowances in salaries to reach the RM900 wage,” he said.