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KUCHING: The Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) Sarawak is encouraged by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad’s statement that wages for Malaysian workers must be increased.
MTUC also expressed gladness that effective Jan 1, 2019, workers in Sarawak finally managed to enjoy the same minimum wage rate as Peninsular Malaysia.
“It makes no sense for minimum wage to be lower in Sarawak when the cost of living is 15 per cent to 25 per cent higher compared to West Malaysia.
“There is no reason for timber tycoons and plantation owners in Sarawak to claim that they cannot afford to pay minimum wage when the kedai runcit (sundry shops) and small businesses in Kelantan, Perlis, and Terengganu can pay the same rate,” MTUC Sarawak chairman Mohammad Ibrahim Hamid said in a Labour Day message.
According to him, employers’ usual claims that they would increase wages if productivity increased has been totally disproved by Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) report that the increase of wages has fallen behind productivity growth.
“We are pleased to note that BNM has finally echoed what MTUC has been saying that employees have been short-changed all these years. We feel vindicated,” he said.
According to him, increased wages would spur domestic demand, lead to more business for companies, and spur the drive to increase productivity, which would encourage innovation and investment in technology and also reduce dependency on foreign workers.
“It will help ordinary workers cope with the increase in cost of living due to weak ringgit, and a controlled economy, especially in Sarawak, where big businesses have flourished at the expense of consumers.
“Price increases are exorbitant. Houses have become out of reach for most people,” he added.
MTUC also called for greater empowerment of workers and recognition of trade unions to enable them to bargain for fair wages.
Mohammad Ibrahim said current laws make it easier for employers to sack workers and stifle trade unions, causing collective bargaining to be “nothing more than collective begging”.
He said strong political will is needed to stand up to employers and their powerful lobby, and to move ahead with labour law reforms.
“We must amend the labour laws to offer greater protection to workers and their unions.
“We must strengthen the Trade Union movement in line with international standards.
“MTUC Sarawak fully supports the government’s proposal to adopt ILO (International Labour Organisation) convention on trade union registration, recognition, and representation,” he said.
Mohammad Ibrahim also called for the elimination of corruption and corrupt practices.
“And eliminate the shadow economy of cheap beer, contraband cigarettes, loan sharking, and fire crackers.
“It is the mother of all problems and undermines the implementation of government policies and threatens effective, transparent, and fair enforcement,” he said.
Source: https://www.theborneopost.com/2019/05/01/mtuc-swak-encouraged-by-pms-statement-on-wage-increase/?fbclid=IwAR3g9r54ZAczbBy7Cb4m5q9lDuU4nLqdemmfK-xk-MiNmiX3dyyCWeuSkJE
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