MTUC picket against amendments to Employment Act

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 3, 2011): At least 200 Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) members held banners in protest of the proposed amendments to the Employment Act outside the Parliament today.

“Everywhere we go; People want to know, what we want; So we tell them, we want our demands. Small small demands. We want justice. Take it back, take it back!” the group chanted.

They stood surrounded by some 30 policemen barricading the main entrance of the building for a good 30 minutes before peacefully dispersing after a brief discussion with the policemen.

MTUC president Mohd Khalid Atan said the group is worried that the amendments will not protect the rights of contract workers and job security in tenure.

He said the bill should not go through as it was not approved by the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC).

“We hope the government and the minister concerned will look into our grievances and whatever clauses we have brought up.

"We are very clear in our stand. The amendment to the bill should be withdrawn,” he said.

Mohd Khalid said he has handed a letter to Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri S. Subramaniam and had held meetings with the Malaysian Employers Federation and representatives from the industrial group on the matter.

Not ruling out the possibility of holding a strike if the ministry does not agree with its demands, he however said, MTUC will wait first for the ministry's response.

“Hopefully, it will be a positive outcome. If it is not favourable, we will take the next course of action. But we do not want to speculate now,” he said.

MTUC had also called for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's intervention to stop the amendments.

Bernama, later quoted Subramaniam as saying that the second reading of the Employment Act (Amendment) Bill 2010 will go on during the Dewan Rakyat sitting this time, despite MTUC's protest.

The ammendments, Subramaniam said, would enable more systematic monitoring of and control over labour outsourcing agencies, especially in isolated locations.

"There have been cases in the plantations where the workers were exploited and abused, or had to endure other forms of maltreatment. But the government had
difficulty taking action as it did not know who the suppliers and contractors were," he told reporters, at the Parliament lobby.

The Employment Act (Amendment) Bill 2010 was tabled for the first reading at the Parliament sitting on July 8, 2010 but was withdrawn at the Oct 12 sitting to take into consideration the views from various quarters, including MTUC, on the definition of sub-contractors as contractors for labour under Section 2 of the Employment Act 1955.

"We discussed the matter not once or twice, but 18 times and their views were accepted. However, they have picketed now, at the last moment. But our intention is to give protection to workers and not open room for outsourcing as alleged," he said.

Subramaniam said with the amendments to the Employment Act, the ministry would have a comprehensive record on workers and this would facilitate monitoring.

"If the workers are registered, we can give them better protection. We are trying to minimise (abuses). That is why we should know the number and where the abuses are."

He said the outsourcing agencies, however, came under the Home Ministry's purview and they could not simply be rid off.

"The workers are already there and we need to contact them, so we cannot just abolish it (outsourcing). That's how the global trend is. To completely outlaw this kind of activity (outsourcing) in today's time of doing business, is not possible. It is not only happening in Malaysia but throughout the world."

He said he hoped no quarters would misunderstand the government's intention, saying: "We share the sentiments of the MTUC in so far as wanting to control outsourcing agencies and to reduce contracts."