Saturday, February 5, 2011

Perutusan KSIEWSSM-Undi Sulit





Assalamualaikum dan Salam Sejahtera,

Setelah mengharungi perjalanan masa hampir 6 bulan bagi memperolehi pengiktirafan dari syarikat STMicroelectronics (mewakili pekerja), akhirnya ia dapat diterjemahkan melalui kemenangan majoriti 57% undi sulit yang dijalankan pada 27hb Januari 2011 yang lepas. Meskipun terdapat sedikit gangguan dan kekecohan, proses ini dapat dijalankan dengan baik dan berkesan. Semua pihak dapat mengawal keadaan dengan baik dan aman. Ini sangat demokratik dan kredit patut diberikan kepada semua pihak yang terlibat (JPP, STM, para pekerja dan ahli KSIEWSSM). Oleh kerana itu terima kasih kepada Sdr. Naginder dan Sdr. Shahrum dari HR kerana dapat bekerjasama dengan baik.



Buat para pekerja dan ahli kesatuan, kemenangan ini bagi pihak Pekerja STM melalui KSIEWSSM, bukan satu lesen untuk mereka menentang majikan. Ini adalah anggapan yang salah sama sekali. Pekerja dan ahli perlu terus bekerjasama dan akur dengan setiap peraturan majikan. Mereka juga diingatkan supaya dapat meningkatkan produktiviti dan amalan kerja yang baik. Majikan perlu dihormati dan ini akan mewujudkan suasana yang harmoni dan baik. Biarlah pihak KSIEWSSM berbincang dan berunding dengan majikan selepas ini. KSIEWSSM percaya majikan lebih terbuka dan menerima perbincangan yang baik.
Buat pihak Majikan (STMicroelectronics), KSIEWSSM berharap agar dapat menerima dan menghormati pilihan pekerja mereka dengan hati yang terbuka. Pekerja tidak bermusuh dengan majikan, tetapi mereka merasakan mereka perlukan pembelaan yang sewajarnya dan mereka merasakan bahawa dengan adanya Kesatuan Sekerja mewakili mereka ini dapat mengimbanginya.

Pihak KSIEWSSM merasakan perlunya kedua-dua pihak iaitu Kesatuan (pekerja) dan majikan (STM) untuk membina “jambatan” dan bukannya memusnahkan “jambatan” perhubungan yang harmoni. Perhubungan harmoni ini perlu diwujudkan dan dipraktikkan demi kepentingan bersama. Pekerja melalui Kesatuan sedia berunding dan bertolak ansur dengan majikan sekiranya hubungan harmoni ini dapat dijalankan dengan baik.
Manakala, buat pihak Jabatan Perhubungan Perusahaan (JPP), ribuan terima kasih atas peranan “orang tengah” yang dijalankan sebelum dan semasa proses undi sulit ini dijalankan. Kerjasama dari Ketua Pengarah, Pengarah Negeri, Penolong Pengarah dan para Pegawai amat dihargai oleh Kesatuan.

Akhir sekali, tahniah sekali lagi kepada para pekerja dan ahli kerana berjaya menunaikan hak seorang pekerja yang baik. Bekerjalah seperti biasa dan patuhilah peraturan syarikat. Tiada syarikat, tiada pekerja dan tiada pekerja, tiadalah syarikat. Kedua-duanya saling memerlukan dan KSIEWSSM percaya hubungan baik ini akan berterusan dan lebih harmoni.
Sekian,

Dari Pekerja Untuk Pekerja,

Faidzul Zainal,
Presiden (KSIEWSSM), dan

Rizuan Bin Zainal,
Setiausaha Agung KSIEWSSM
Mewakili pekerja, ahli Kesatuan, Exco dan Pegawai Kesatuan.

http://ksiewssm.blogspot.com/2011/01/perutusan-ksiewssm.html

ILO expresses concern over violence against trade unions in Tunisia

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is very concerned about the violent attacks that have recently taken place against the offices of Tunisian trade unions.
Press release | January 27, 2011

GENEVA, ILO News – The International Labour Organization (ILO) is very concerned about the violent attacks that have recently taken place against the offices of Tunisian trade unions.

The Director-General of the ILO, Mr. Juan Somavia, said that "Peaceful dialogue has to prevail in order to ensure that a democratization process benefits the fundamental interests of workers, employers and the whole society.”

Since the beginnings of this crisis the ILO has kept in close contact with the social partners in Tunisia and will continue to carefully monitor the situation in line with ILO’s standing concern for the exercise of freedom of association.

“The role of trade unions and employers' organizations is crucial, and any attacks against them are attacks against the principles of social dialogue and tripartite cooperation, which the ILO stands for," said Mr. Somavia. "The ILO is listening carefully to the needs of its constituents and will examine together with them solutions to the economic, social and employment problems of the country.”

Mr. Somavia added that the ILO hopes that there soon will be a government based on the will of the people.

http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/press-and-media-centre/press-releases/WCMS_150764/lang--en/index.htm

PSI welcomes new Egyptian union federation

Public Services International joins the International Trade Union Confederation in welcoming the new, independent Egyptian Federation for Independent Unions. PSI affiliate the Real Estate Tax Authority Union (RETA) is leading this independent trade union movement.
On 31 January, the Egyptian opposition called for a general strike in favour of democracy and fundamental rights. The move followed the previous day’s call for a general strike by the newly established Egyptian Federation for Independent Unions.
The independent trade union centre EFIU was established on Sunday, January 30, 2011 by independent trade unions of tax collectors (RETA), health professionals, teachers, retirees and workers in a wide range of major industries. In its founding statement, the EFIU calls for Egyptian workers “to organise and defend their workplace and all citizens during these critical times and to organize protest actions and strikes to realize the people’s claims”.
“This is a hugely important step for all Egyptians, who have for so long been denied the right to democratic representation at work. Independent unions, which the regime refused to recognise, have organised thousands of local strikes, sit-ins and protests in recent years, and have been a moving force behind the massive mobilisation of Egypt’s people that we have been witnessing in recent days,” said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow in a statement.
“The workers are angry!” – Press release, 1 Feb 2011, of the independent Center for Trade Union Workers and Services CTUWS (This website has been blocked by the Egyptian government)

«Les travailleurs/euses dans une colère noire» – Communiqué de presse, le 1 février, 2011
“The Egyptian People calls to overthrow the regime” – CTUWS statement, 29 Jan 2011 (English and Arabic)

PSI tells Egyptian authorities: “Listen to your people” – (PSI statement 28 Jan 2011)

http://www.world-psi.org/TemplateEN.cfm?Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=27022

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

NUBE pertikai daftar kesatuan dalaman bukan eksekutif Maybank

KUALA LUMPUR, 30 Jan 2011 — Kesatuan Kebangsaan Pekerja-Pekerja Bank (NUBE) menggesa Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Hal Ehwal Kesatuan Sekerja Omana Pillai menyemak keputusan mendaftar kesatuan dalaman pekerja bukan eksekutif Maybank kerana ia bercanggah dengan Seksyen 12 Akta Kesatuan Sekerja 1959.

Setiausaha Agung NUBE, J. Solomon berkata seksyen itu dengan jelas menyatakan bahawa kesatuan sekerja lain tidak boleh didaftarkan jika telah wujud satu kesatuan sekerja yang mewakili pekerja dalam sesebuah syarikat, perniagaan, pekerjaan atau industri.

“Sudah lebih 50 tahun NUBE mewakili 5,000 pekerja Maybank.

“Kami berpendapat Ketua Pengarah mungkin tidak mempunyai maklumat yang berkaitan sepenuhnya ketika menilai permohonan kesatuan dalaman itu,” katanya kepada Bernama.

Beliau juga berharap pihak pengurusan Maybank tidak terbabit dalam penubuhan kesatuan itu kerana ia terikat dengan perjanjian kolektif sedia ada bersama NUBE.

“Namun, jika didapati kesatuan dalaman itu ditubuhkan dengan restu pihak pengurusan Maybank, NUBE tidak akan teragak-agak untuk mengambil tindakan sewajarnya bagi menjaga kepentingan dan kebajikan anggotanya,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Bernama difahamkan bahawa jawatankuasa sementara kesatuan dalaman tersebut didominasi bekas anggota NUBE dan ia mungkin mempunyai kaitan dengan isu bonus.

NUBE mempunyai pertikaian dengan Maybank berhubung isu bonus sejak Jun 2009.

Ia menuntut bonus sebanyak 80 bulan untuk anggotanya berdasarkan rasional bahawa pengurus kanan dan pegawai kontrak bank itu mendapat bonus lapan bulan setiap tahun sejak sepuluh tahun lepas, yang tidak diberikan kepada anggota NUBE.

Naib presiden Kongres Kesatuan Sekerja Malaysia (MTUC), A. Balasubramaniam pula menyifatkan penubuhan kesatuan dalaman itu sebagai satu “cara halus untuk memusnahkan kesatuan sekerja”, dan ia sesuatu yang tidak sihat bagi keharmonian industri di negara ini. — Bernama

Penubuhan Kesatuan Sekerja Elektronik

Oleh Sajad Hussein

KUALA LUMPUR,Bernama)- Kelulusan kerajaan untuk membenarkan penubuhan Kesatuan Sekerja Industri Elektronik akan meningkatkan imej kerajaan di kalangan pertubuhan pekerja di dalam dan luar negara.

Isu ini telah menjadi duri dalam daging bagi kerajaan sejak awal 70-an apabila syarikat elektronik antarabangsa mula bertapak di negara ini.

Para pekerja yang diwakili Kongres Kesatuan Sekerja Malaysia (MTUC) telah menunjuk perasaan, membantah dan membuat aduan kepada Pertubuhan Buruh Antarabangsa (ILO) sejak 40 tahun lalu ekoran kengganan kerajaan membenarkan pekerja sektor elektronik berpersatuan.

"Pada setiap persidangan antarabangsa ILO, Menteri Buruh Malaysia telah dikritik dan disoal mengenai isu ini sementara di peringkat tempatan, perbahasan hangat turut berlaku pada setiap mesyuarat pekerja," menurut ahli veteran kesatuan sekerja dan bekas presiden MTUC, Datuk Zainal Rampak.

Beliau berkata kerajaan mengalami kesukaran dalam meyakinkan pergerakan pekerja antarabangsa dan tempatan bahawa kerajaan sentiasa melindungi golongan tersebut.

Sebagai kompromi, kerajaan membenarkan pekerja menubuhkan kesatuan dalaman tetapi ia masih tidak dapat diterima kerana pekerja masih dieksploit, katanya.

Lebih-lebih lagi, hanya sekitar 12,000 hingga 15,000 pekerja yang merupakan ahli kesatuan yang mewakili 5 peratus dari keseluruhan tenaga kerja dalam industri berkenaan.

Contoh klasik ialah syarikat yang dinamakan Harris Advanced Technology Sdn Bhd yang menukar namanya sebanyak enam kali yang mana langkah itu tidak membolehkan pekerja menubuhkan kesatuan dalaman.

Pada 1988, seorang aktivis kesatuan sekerja muda bernama Bruno Pereira yang ketika itu merupakan pekerja syarikat berkenaan, dengan bantuan MTUC memulakan perjuangan untuk menyusun pekerja dalam sektor elektronik.

Usaha Bruno akhirnya berhasil apabila Kabinet membenarkan pembentukan kesatuan industri elektronik pada 27 Mei tahun lalu, walaupun pada peringkat wilayah di Semenanjung.

"Walaupun kami dibenarkan membentuk kesatuan berasaskan wilayah, ia adalah lebih baik berbanding kesatuan dalaman," kata Bruno.

Beliau berkata usaha sedang dilakukan untuk mengendalikan 286,226 pekerja di sektor berkenaan dalam tiga wilayah iaitu wilayah barat yang terdiri daripada Wilayah Persekutuan, Selangor dan Perak, wilayah selatan meliputi Johor, Melaka dan Negeri Sembilan sementara wilayah utara iaitu Pulau Pinang, Kedah dan Perlis.

Bruno yang merupakan Setiausa Agung Wilayah Barat berkata "satu generasi pekerja elektronik telah dinafikan faedah mereka walaupun syarikat-syarikat telah membuat keuntungan besar tahun demi tahun sejak 40 tahun lalu."

"Namun biarlah perkara yang lepas berlalu dan kami berharap untuk memulakan langkah baru dan memberi harapan kepada ribuan pekerja miskin dalam sektor ini yang kini memperolehi pendapatan sekitar RM350 hingga RM700 sebulan yang berada di bawah garis kemiskinan," katanya.

Menurut beliau, kini terdapat 365 syarikat elektronik di dalam negara di mana mereka memperolehi keluaran kasar RM157 bilion pada 2007.

-- BERNAMA

MTUC LEADERS MET PRIME MINISTER

31 Jan 2011-At last MTUC managed to meet with Prime Minister (PM) to discuss on major issues faced by workers in Malaysia.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Human Resources, the former MTUC President-Dato Zainal Rampak, Dato Harman Shah (former MTUC Vice-President), Dato Hamzah (former Shah Alam Assemblyman). Nine senior leaders headed by newly appointed MTUC President- Mr Mohd Khalid Atan has held talks for 20 minutes with the Prime Minister on issues of employment such as minimum wage, amendments to labour laws, 90 Days Maternity Leave, COLA for private sector, outsourcing, contract for labour and etc. The meeting was concluded with a lunch session with the Prime Minister.
On 12/1/2011 MTUC leaders also meet with Deputy Minister Of Prime Minister- Dato Maslan Ahmad & Political Secretary of Deputy Prime Minister at Putrajaya office.
According to MTUC sources, Deputy Minister of Human Resources will meet and have a dinner with MTUC leaders on 7 February 2011 at Marriot Hotel.

charleshector
- MTUC has remained steadfast in its commitment to support the government during the last 61 years. It is the government and prime ministers like Abdullah Ahmad who have treated the MTUC with contempt. Did not Abdullah tell the MTUC, “you can picket 100 times, the decision of no stays”?

Gaji minimum dibincang bulan depan

2011/01/28
KUALA LUMPUR: Makmal gaji minimum yang diwujudkan Kementerian Sumber Manusia akan memulakan rundingan dengan pelbagai pihak, khususnya Kongres Kesatuan Sekerja Malaysia (MTUC) yang menaungi 260 kesatuan sekerja dengan keahlian lebih 500,000 orang, awal bulan depan.


Makmal tiga hari pada 8, 11 dan 14 Februari ini di Pusat Konvensyen Antarabangsa Putrajaya (PICC) dijangka dapat mencapai kata sepakat berhubung cadangan penetapan gaji pokok minimum sebanyak RM900 sebulan.
Difahamkan hasil makmal akan dimanfaatkan bagi menggubal Akta Gaji Minimum 2011.
Presiden MTUC, Mohd Khalid Atan, berkata selain kesatuan sekerja, makmal itu dijangka turut disertai wakil beberapa kementerian berkaitan dan majikan.

Katanya, perbincangan yang bakal menyentuh pelbagai aspek dijangka memberi satu keputusan terbaik terhadap cadangan yang dikemukakan MTUC sejak lebih 10 tahun lalu.

“Selain gaji minimum, MTUC juga berharap pekerja swasta diberi faedah elaun sara hidup seperti dinikmati kakitangan kerajaan.

“Tuntutan akan hanya difokuskan selepas cadangan penetapan gaji minimum diputuskan,” katanya ketika dihubungi, semalam.
Akhbar sebelum ini melaporkan kerajaan tetap meneruskan usaha melaksana cadangan penetapan gaji minimum dan cuba meyakin-kan Persekutuan Majikan Malaysia (MEF) mengenai kepentingan dasar itu walaupun dibantah.
http://www.bharian.com.my/bharian/articles/Gajiminimumdibincangbulandepan/Article/

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Pimpinan baru MTUC temu pejabat Muhyiddin Rabu depan



January 06, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, 6 Jan — Pucuk kepimpinan baru Kongres Kesatuan Sekerja Malaysia (MTUC), yang dilihat sebagai barisan bebas pengaruh politik, akan mengadakan pertemuan dengan pejabat timbalan perdana menteri di Putrajaya, Rabu depan.

Presiden MTUC Khalid Atan berkata, pertemuan itu, yang lebih bersifat “suai kenal”, diadakan atas undangan pejabat timbalan perdana menteri.

“Kami ada menerima jemputan agar sertai majlis suai kenal, jadi kami menghargainya dan menerima jemputan itu. Difahamkan cuma sesi berkenalan dengan pegawai-pegawai timbalan perdana menteri sebelum mengadakan pertemuan dengan Tan Sri Muhyiddin,” kata beliau ketika dihubungi The Malaysian Insider.

Khalid berkata, pertemuan itu dijangka akan menerokai langkah untuk bertemu dengan Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin dan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak kelak.

MTUC juga akan mengadakan mesyuarat jawatankuasa eksekutif pertama Rabu depan, yang akan menyusun rangka kerja dan programnya.

Khalid juga berkata, pihaknya akan membangkitkan perkara-perkara yang dirasakan perlu jika ada kesempatan sempena pertemuan minggu depan.

“Kalau kami diberikan peluang, kami akan bawa isu-isu berkaitan untuk perhatian kerajaan dan jika tidak, kita akan bawa pada pertemuan-pertemuan lain,” kata beliau yang menewaskan Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud pada pemilihan MTUC minggu lalu.

Ini kali pertama dalam lebih tiga dekad lalu MTUC mempunyai presiden dan setiausaha agung bukan kalangan mereka yang memegang jawatan parti politik.

Abdul Halim Mansor menewaskan dua calon termasuk Ahli Parlimen PKR Kuala Langat Abdullah Sani Hamid dan J. Solomon dari Kesatuan Pekerja-pekerja Bank Kebangsaan untuk menerajui jawatan setiausaha agung.

Khalid dari Kesatuan Pekerja Perkayuan Semenanjung Malaysia menewaskan Syed Shahir, juga anggota PKR, yang menerajui MTUC sejak enam tahun lalu.

Minggu lalu, Halim memberitahu The Malaysian Insider, pihaknya akan cuba mengadakan pertemuan dengan Najib untuk mewujudkan persahabatan kongres itu dan kerajaan.

Katanya, kepimpinan baru MTUC bersedia untuk bekerjasama dengan pentadbiran Najib tetapi memberi “amaran awal” tiada mana-mana pihak mengambil kesempatan dengan “kesederhanaan” yang mereka hendak perlihatkan.

Halim berkata, mereka juga bersedia untuk mengadakan perbincangan dengan Perdana Menteri bagi menerokai laluan mengadakan hubungan yang lebih baik dengan pemerintah demi kepentingan kaum pekerja.

MTUC mendakwa mempunyai lebih 200 kesatuan gabungan mewakili 500,000 ahli.

Pemilihan minggu lalu merupakan yang pertama sejak selepas pilihan raya umum Mac 2008 yang membawa ‘tsunami politik’.

“Kami akan menulis surat kepada Pejabat Perdana Menteri untuk mengadakan pertemuan... MTUC mahu mengadakan satu pertemuan dengan perdana menteri bagi menyampaikan maksud dan erti kerjasama yang MTUC hendak jalin dengan Putrajaya.

“Kami hendak menterjemahkan, perhubungan yang kami mahukan dengan pihak kerajaan, dengan perdana menteri, beri peluang untuk membawa isu-isu pekerja untuk perhatian kerajaan,” kata beliau kepada The Malaysian Insider.

Mengenai pertemuan minggu depan Halim berkata, masih terlalu awal untuk mengadakan perkara yang bakal dibincangkan.

“Kita sedang membuat persiapan mengenai perkara yang hendak dibawa, tetapi ia hanya pertemuan awal,” kata beliau sambil menambah kemungkinan tidak semua pemimpin kanan MTUC akan pergi.

“Tetapi sebahagian besar ahli jawatankuasa MTUC akan hadir,” kata Halim yang mengakui tarikh temu janji diperoleh dua hari lalu.

“Kami akan bertemu mereka dengan pendirian terbuka, kami berharap ia akan membawa kebaikan kepada MTUC,” kata beliau lagi.


Oleh G Manimaran

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/bahasa/article/pimpinan-baru-mtuc-temu-pejabat-muhyiddin-rabu-depan/

Pengawal terima gaji baru akhir bulan ini

12/01/2011 2:33pm

KUALA LUMPUR, 12 Jan. - Lebih daripada 100,000 pengawal keselamatan di negara ini dijangka menerima gaji minimum RM700 pada hujung bulan ini.

Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Datuk Sheikh Yahya Sheikh Mohammed berkata, kerajaan tidak berganjak daripada keputusan bahawa pelaksanaan gaji minimum itu adalah pada 1 Januari lepas.

Jika ada pengawal keselamatan tidak menerima gaji baru pada 31 Januari ini, mereka harus bertanya kepada majikan dan membuat laporan kepada Pejabat Tenaga Kerja berhampiran sekiranya masih tidak ada perubahan selepas itu, katanya di sini hari ini.

Sheikh Yahya berkata, jabatan itu telah berjumpa dengan Persatuan Perkhidmatan Kawalan Keselamatan Malaysia bagi menjelaskan keputusan kerajaan tersebut.

Sementara itu, Kongres Kesatuan Sekerja Malaysia (MTUC) menyambut baik keputusan kerajaan tersebut yang seiring dengan salah satu resolusi yang dibuat mereka pada persidangan bulan lepas. - Bernama

http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=0112&pub=utusan_malaysia&sec=Terkini&pg=bt_18.htm&arc=hive

KENYATAAN MEDIA KESATUAN & PERSATUAN TENAGA NASIONAL BERHAD BERHUBUNG PERLANTIKAN CEO TNB








Kesatuan Percantuman Pekerja-Pekerja TNB (KPPPTNB), Tenaga Nasional Junior Officers Union (TNBJOU) dan Persatuan Eksekutif Tenaga Nasional Berhad (PETNB) yang mewakili lebih 24 ribu pekerja telah memajukan surat bertarikh 18 Januari 2011 kepada Perdana Menteri menyatakan pendiriannya berhubung perlantikan CEO TNB berikutan menjelang tamatnya kontrak 7 tahun perkhidmatan Dato’ Sri Che Khalib pada Jun 2011. Kesatuan dan Persatuan TNB berpendirian dan memohon supaya Perdana Menteri dan kerajaan mempertimbangkan perlantikan CEO TNB dibuat dari kalangan Pengurusan Dalaman TNB sendiri.

Kesatuan dan Persatuan TNB yakin Pengurusan Dalaman TNB mempunyai kepakaran dan kemampuan untuk menerajui semula TNB berasaskan kepada semangat kerjasama dan pencapaian yang ujud sejak sekian lama. Amatlah penting bagi kerajaan melihat semula kemampuan dan memberikan pengiktirafan sewajarnya kepada segala usaha yang telah dilakukan oleh pekerja dan Pengurusan Dalaman TNB setelah TNB berjaya menjadi salah satu Syarikat terunggul di Asia.

Pendirian Kesatuan dan Persatuan ini adalah juga selari dengan kandungan surat berkaitan isu-isu kepimpinan Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) dan pertemuan dengan Perdana Menteri pada 4 November 2009 di Parlimen dan 6 Januari 2010 di Putrajaya. Langkah kerajaan mengembalikan semula kepimpinan dalaman bagi menerajui syarikat GLC seperti yang disarankan oleh Mantan Perdana Menteri-Tun Dr. Mahathir dan telah dilakukan di PETRONAS amatlah dialu-alukan dan seharusnya diperluaskan perlaksanaanya ke TNB dan syarikat-syarikat GLC lain.

Pihak Kesatuan dan Persatuan TNB juga berharap dapat berjumpa dengan Perdana Menteri dalam tempoh masa terdekat untuk memberikan penjelasan terhadap permohonan dan pendirian ini.

18 Januari 2011

RUM-PERPINDAHAN JABATAN PENGURUSAN ASET KTMB/POHON PERPINDAHAN KTMB KE SEKTOR AWAM

Rum Akuzak
Untuk tatapan umum kenyataan rasmi kesatuan (RUM)

Dengan segala hormat dan penuh takzim, sukacitanya dimaklumkan bahawa Jawatankuasa Kerja Kesatuan yang bersidang pada 2hb. November 2010, memberi tekanan kepada pergolakan urus tadbir mutakhir syarikat KTMB atas perkara pemisahan urus tadbir “Jabatan Pengurusan Aset KTMB” dari ‘KTMB’ ke “Perbadanan Aset Keretapi (PAK)”. Sesungguhnya gerakan pemisahan urus tadbir sedemikian dirasai “sangat ketara”. Selari dengan “gerakan pemisahan” tersebut, majlis juga mengambil pendirian menyokong keputusan yang telah dibuat oleh beberapa mesyuarat Exco yang lepas sebagai suara sokongan kepada resolusi yang telah diluluskan oleh Persidangan Perwakilan Yang Kelapan (ke-8) mengenai perpindahan syarikat KTMB dari “Sektor Swasta ke Sektor Awam”.

2. Pihak “Kesatuan” telah menilai dan memperhalusi punca hakisan kekuatan dan kekukuhan “tapak atau foundation” syarikat KTMB dilihat telah wujud rintangan sebagai indicator “cengkaman” ke atas syarikat melalui peraturan tertentu yang mengandungi inti “bunga-bunga permasalahan semasa” melalui “gerakan pemisahan” ini. Libatan rintangan ternyata akan menjadi beban yang tidak dapat dirahsiakan lagi sebagai penanda wajah yang mencerminkan “situasi yang tidak sihat” yang boleh mencalar keupayaan “KTMB di masa muka”. Pihak kesatuan sungguh sangsi tentang kestabilan urus tadbir organisasi ini khususnya dari aspek menambah-baikan syarikat diandaikan “dayanya” didapati ”gagal menterjemahkan kebaikan” atau “sekurang-kurangnya” dapat mengekalkan “dayanya” setaraf semasa era organisasi ini di bawah sektor awam (KTM) mahupun sekarang ini di bawah sektor swasta (korporat/KTMB). Pada kami, keretakan urus tadbir syarikat ini akan menambah sukar pada menggarapkan usahanya sebagai sebuah pengangkutan rel terpenting yang telah memberi sumbangan terbesar kepada negara dari sudut “Keperluan Rakyat” pada masa-masa lepas dan dengan ini timbullah persoalan adakah syarikat ini mampu melindungi kepentingan “WARGA KTMB”.
3. Pada realiti “daya KTMB” bertambah gusar dan kini berdepani dengan “permasalahan” atas pemisahan urus tadbir “Jabatan Pengurusan Aset KTMB” dari ‘KTMB’ khabarnya berpindah urus tadbirnya ke “Perbadanan Aset Keretapi (PAK) atau “Railway Assets Corporation (RAC)”. Difahamkan langkah pengambilanalih urus tadbir ialah atas perakuan “Laporan Ketua Audit Negara” berkemungkinan gerakan ini ialah bagi memenuhi kehendak ‘Seksyen 89 (8)’ (Perbadanan Aset Keretapi (PAK)) yang berbunyi:-
Seksyen 89 (8);

(a) Untuk mengurus, mentadbir dan menyenggarakan:-
(i) segala harta dan hak Pentadbiran Keretapi Tanah Melayu di bawah Ordinan termansuh yang menurut kuasa seksyen 92 adalah terletakhak pada Perbadanan;
(ii) Segala harta yang terletakhak pada, atau dipegang atau diperolehi oleh Pesuruhjaya Tanah Persekutuan di bawah Ordinan termansuh yang menurut kuasa seksyen 93 adalah terletakhak pada Perbadanan, dan untuk mengurus dan mentadbirkan segala liabiliti berkenaan dengannya;
(b) Untuk menggalakkan dan mengusahakan projek-projek bagi pemajuan atau pemajuan semula mana-mana infrastruktur atau kemudahan keretapi; dan
(c) Untuk menjalankan dan melaksanakan apa-apa fungsi lain sebagaimana yang ditetapkan oleh Menteri di bawah Akta ini.
4. Dimaklum bahawa dengan pengambilanalih urus tadbir “Jabatan Pengurusan Aset KTMB” oleh “Railway Assets Corporation (RAC)”, maka bermulalah hakisan kekuatan “daya KTMB” dan ianya akan memberi “impact directly” ke atas “WARGA KTMB” kerana dibebani pelbagai permasalahan yang akan didepani dari masa ke semasa dan dijangka akan bertambah parah lagi.
5. Kesatuan ini difahamkan bahawa jumlah keseluruhan kakitangan di “Jabatan Pengurusan Aset KTMB” ialah seramai 246 orang kakitangan dan bilangan ini adalah satu jumlah yang besar. Kami juga sedar “Railway Assets Corporation (RAC) ” atau “Perbadanan Aset Keretapi” telah ditubuhkan pada 30hb. Julai 1992 dan telah beroperasi secara rasmi pada 1 Oktober 1992, tetapi “Jabatan Hartanah” sebagai jabatan yang dikenali pada masa itu masih di bawah kawalan ‘KTMB’. Dengan ini bermakna tempoh hampir selama lebih kurang sembilan belas (19) tahun lamanya ‘Jabatan Hartanah’ atau “Jabatan Pengurusan Aset KTMB” yang dikenali sekarang ini “tidak pernah memberi gambaran tentang perjalanan pentadbiran jabatan ini dalam keadaan amat kucar kacir” dan fakta ini adalah persaksian sebagai bukti yang tidak boleh dipertikaikan.
6. Disedari walaupun “Akta Keretapi 1991” diwujudkan, namun dalam tahun 1992, apabila konsep “Pensyarikatan Malaysia” diperkenalkan oleh kerajaan, maka “KTM” secara langsung telah dipisahkan kuasa pentadbirannya dari “sektor awam” ke “sektor swasta” dengan pertukaran nama perniagaan dari "KTM" ke “KTMB”. Walaubagaimanapun pihak kerajaan telah memberi jaminan bahawa “kebaikan KTMB dan faedah yang dinikmati oleh kakitangan KTMB” tidak akan tergugat dan terhakis. Pertaruhan faedah ini telah "diikat kuat" melalui beberapa dokumen kerajaan dan juga melalui suara-suara rasmi dari perwakilan kerajaan yang diluahkan dalam “Dewan Rakyat”.
7. Dalam mesyuarat “Jawatan Kuasa Kerja Kesatuan” yang sama pada 2hb. November 2010, setelah menilai pro dan kontra, majlis mengambil keputusan untuk “MERAYU DAN MEMOHON KEPADA KERAJAAN” agar “Jabatan Pengurusan Aset KTMB” tidak dipindahkan ke “Perbadanan Aset Keretapi (PAK)” kerana ‘KTMB’ mampu memikul tugas dan sedia mengalas tanggungjawab dengan baik mengikut kehendak semasa. Saranan fakta yang dijelas di para (5) di atas antara lain menyatakan tempoh lebih kurang selama sembilan belas (19) tahun hingga sekarang ini dari tarikh penubuhan “Perbadanan Aset Keretapi” pada 30hb. Julai 1992 dan beroperasi secara rasminya pada 1 Oktober 1992, didapati “Jabatan Hartanah” atau “Jabatan Pengurusan Aset KTMB” yang dikenali sekarang ini “tidak memberi” sebarang gambaran yang boleh ditafsirkan sebagai “pincang” atau “keadaan kucar-kacir” dalam menjalankan urus pentadbirannya semasa dalam kawal selia ‘KTMB’.

8. Pihak kami menyusun sepuluh jari memohon YAB. DATO’ SRI selaku “Perdana Menteri” sudilah kiranya pihak YAB. DATO’ SRI memberi pertimbangan kepada permintaan kami agar “Jabatan Pengurusan Aset KTMB” tidak dipindahkan ke “Perbadanan Aset Keretapi (PAK )”. Sebab-musebabnya telah diluahkan dalam surat ini.

9. Seandainya pihak kerajaan masih juga tidak dapat merestui permintaan kesatuan mengenai “Jabatan Pengurusan Aset KTMB” agar tidak dipindahkan ke “Perbadanan Aset Keretapi (PAK)” atas sebab-sebab yang diketahui oleh kerajaan, maka sudah masanya pihak kerajaan merestui mengambil balik “organisasi KTMB” atau “perpindahan KTMB dari Sektor Swasta ke Sektor Awam” disebabkan pengangkutan rel KTMB hingga ke hari ini masih tidak dapat berubah wajah sebagai “Private Enterprise” dan masih menjadi “hak kerajaan”. Kerajaan sendiri telah memberi pengakuan dalam “Dewan Rakyat” bahawa “Kerajaan mempunyai tanggungjawab moral kepada negara dan sedia memberi bantuan kewangan kepada syarikat KTMB”. Kajian yang dijalankan oleh pakar-pakar ekonomi sama ada dalam negara mahupun luar negara telah menunjukkan ianya tidak ada bukti muktamad bahawa urus niaga swasta adalah lebih cekap jika dibandingkan dengan pentadbiran awam. Sebaliknya apa yang disedari oleh masyarakat umum bahawa bayaran lebih mahal bagi perkhidmatan yang diswastakan. Penjelasan butiran fakta mengenai perpindahan ke “Sektor Awam” telah diluahkan dalam “Memorandum Perpindahan KTMB dari Sektor Swasta ke Sektor Awam” dan dokumen ini telah dihantar kepada kerajaan.

10. Sejarah telah terbukti bahawa pengangkutan rel KTM ini adalah penting, maka dalam tahun 1948 “ORDINAN KERETAPI” telah dikuat kuasakan dengan memperkenalkan “Malayan Railway” atau “Keretapi Tanah Melayu” dengan penubuhan “Lembaga KTM” yang bertanggungjawab ke atas semua urusan perkeretapian. Selepas “Merdeka”, pihak kerajaan telah menubuhkan “Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Keretapi” bagi mengemas-kinikan beberapa fungsi dari aspek “pelantikan, pengesahan jawatan, kenaikan pangkat serta kawalan disiplin”. Selang beberapa tempoh “Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Keretapi” telah dimansuhkan dan fungsi tersebut telah diambil oleh “Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam”.

11. Akhir kata, kami memohon maaf sekiranya pernyataan di atas menyusahkan YAB. Dato’ Sri. Disudahi dengan ucapan terima kasih dan percaya permintaan kami ini akan direstui oleh YAB. Dato’ Sri.


Sekian, terima kasih.

Yang benar,


(ABDUL RAZAK MD. HASSAN )
Presiden.

Surat Rasmi Kesatuan "KEWUJUDAN EXCO"

 
by Rum Akuzak on Friday, January 21, 2011 at 3:00pm
Surat Rasmi Kesatuan Yg Dikirimkan Hari Ini Utk Tatapan Umum.

KEWUJUDAN EXCO

Dengan segala hormatnya, saya bagi pihak Majlis Eksekutif ingin merujuk kepada perkara di atas bagi menyampaikan pandangan setelah menilai keperluan EXCO Fleet and Maintenance. Suka dijelaskan bahawa pihak kesatuan sentiasa mengikuti setiap perkembangan semua jabatan dalam KTMB, bagi tujuan untuk melihat KTMB terus maju dan berjaya.

2. Dari sudut keperluan EXCO Fleet, pihak kesatuan merasakan ada sesuatu yang tidak kena berdasarkan kebaikan yang telah dibuat malah perancangan yang telah dibuat pada tahun – tahun akan datang telah merumuskan bahawa masa depan Fleet akan lebih baik dan teratur, memang tidak dinafikan ada kekurangan, tetapi berdasarkan perancangan yang telah diatur maka kekurangan yang ada boleh diatasi sekiranya perancangan yang dibuat berjalan dengan baik, malah perancangan dan kerja yang telah dijalankan telah mendapat sokongan padu dari segenap pekerja samada “Bukan Eksekutif” maupun “Eksekutif” kecuali satu (1) atau dua (2) dari kalangan “Eksekutif”, itu pun berdasarkan “Eksekutif” yang mana berkenaan bukanlah dari kalangan “qualified technical”.

3. Keperluan sebenar bagi mewujudkan EXCO ialah pada jabatan – jabatan yang benar benar bermasalah seperti Jabatan EMU, kerana semua menyedari bahawa EMU hari ini tidak dapat menonjolkan peranan sebenarnya walau pun telah dibawa masuk kononnya seorang “expert” yang bergaji lumayan sebagai “penasehat EMU” tapi apakah hasilnya, bagaimana pula perancangan yang telah dibuat, kesatuan percaya YB Dato’ Sri dan semua Lembaga Pengarah boleh menilai perkara ini.

4. Tambahan keperluan EXCO ialah bagaimana meningkatkan “ravenue”, ini sepatutnya menjadi agenda penting dalam mana – mana organisasi berasaskan perniagaan, tetapi sayangnya perkara ini tidak diberi perhatian sehingga campurtangan “Lembaga Pengarah KTMB” mengadakan “brainstorming” untuk mencari jalan bagaimana nak meningkatkan “ravenue” atau “mengurangkan perbelanjaan”, pihak kesatuan merakamkan ucapan “TAHNIAH” pada YB Dato’ Sri dan semua Lembaga Pengarah yang berjaya mengadakan sessi “brainstorming”, pihak kesatuan percaya “ravenue” dan “pengurangan perbelanjaan” adalah tunggak utama dalam bidang penghasilan dan perlu diutamakan.

5. Menyedari juga Jabatan Urusan Jalan adalah jabatan penting, banyak kelemahan yang perlu diperbetulkan maka pihak kesatuan juga menjadi hairan kenapa Jabatan Urusan Jalan tidak diwujudkan EXCO. Itu belum lagi Jabatan Sumber Manusia yang pihak kesatuan tidak perlu “highlightkan”.

6. Tertarik juga bila mana Jabatan Operasi yang baru – baru ini mengeluarkan “ARAHAN OPERASI – PENSTRUKTURAN SEMULA JAWATAN PENGURUS STESEN IPOH” yang tertulis tarikh kuatkuasa ialah pada 15 Januari 2011 yang mana telah ditangguhkan melalui satu surat yang ditandatangani oleh Pengurus Besar Kewangan bertarikh 14 Januari 2011, berdasarkan surat berkenaan dikeluarkan setelah satu perbincangan diadakan dengan wakil – wakil jabatan berkaitan. Apa yang boleh diperkatakan ialah tiada wujudnya sistem komunikasi yang betul sebelum arahan dikeluarkan, gambaran boleh dinyatakan bahawa ada kepincangan yang perlu diperbetulkan, kerana individu yang menerajui seolah - olah tidak berkemampuan untuk menerajui Jabatan Operasi, maka disinilah pihak pengurusan tertinggi KTMB perlu memberi perhatian yang serius menangani masalah dengan mewujudkan EXCO tapi sebaliknya berlaku bila individu tidak berkelayakan “not qualified” di letakan sebagai EXCO dalam FLEET.

7. Konklusi kepada perkara yang dibangkitkan ialah apakah sistem yang sebenar perlu diwujudkan dalam menangani masalah yang ada, kurang lebih tujuh belas (17) bulan, Presiden KTMB menerajui KTMB apakah ini jalan yang beliau nampak untuk memberi kebaikan kepada KTMB, pihak kesatuan menilai bahawa hala tuju KTMB kini telah bercelaru tanpa arah tujuan, pendekatan yang bersistemetik perlu diadakan dengan melihat keseluruhan organisasi, visi, misi dan objektif KTMB perlu dipertekankan agar tidak terus berada diambang kejatuhan, jangan mewujudkan EXCO hanya boleh dilihat atau seolah – olah ada agenda tertentu. Kesatuan tidak mahu melihat KTMB berada diambang kejatuhan. Tambahan pula bila terbaca dalam akhbar baru – baru ini Surahanjaya Pencegah Rasuah telah memasuki KTMB kononnya ada kepincangan berlaku dalam sistem tender, biarpun ianya hanya sekadar melakukan siasatan, bukan menjatuhkan hukuman, kerana kesalahan hanya boleh dibuktikan bersalah hanya oleh mahkamah, tetapi secara tidak langsung imej KTMB telah pun tercemar.

8. Sehubungan dengan itu adalah menjadi harapan kesatuan agar YB. Dato’ Sri akan terus memantau setiap pergerakan termasuk pentadbiran KTMB agar tidak wujud kepincangan, pihak kesatuan sentiasa membantu demi kebaikan organisasi, bukan dengan niat untuk campurtangan, tetapi berhak bersuara selaras dengan Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Pihak kesatuan percaya dengan kemampuan Dato’ Sri dan semua Lembaga Pengarah KTMB, dan berkeyakinan semua Lembaga Pengarah KTMB dapat mencari jalan seterusnya memperbetulkan perjalanan KTMB yang kini seperti kehilangan punca.

Presiden RUM



MTUC wajib gabungan tuntut gaji minimum RM1,200 dalam CA

December 29, 2010
PETALING JAYA, 29 Dis – Kesatuan-kesatuan gabungan Kongres Kesatuan Sekerja Malaysia (MTUC) dikehendaki mengemukakan tuntutan gaji minimum RM1,200 apabila mengadakan rundingan perjanjian bersama (CA) tiga tahun sekali mulai sekarang.
Dengan resolusi diluluskan hari ini, pekerja-pekerja yang diwakili MTUC, akan diperjuangkan gaji sekurang-kurangnya RM1,200 sebulan.
Keputusan ini diambil di sebalik keputusan kerajaan yang baru-baru ini telah meluluskan pendirian mahu memperkenalkan dasar gaji minimum nasional mulai tahun depan, tetapi kadarnya belum diputuskan lagi.
Dalam tuntutan gaji minimum sebelum ini, MTUC meletakkan gaji asas RM900 dan elaun kos sara hidup pula RM300.
“Kita hendak mengemukakan cadangan kepada kesatuan-kesatuan gabungan supaya memasukkan tuntutan gaji minimum, bermakna tidak semestinya apa yang kita minta dapat tetapi sasaran kita ialah RM1,200,” kata Presiden MTUC Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud pada sesi perbahasan usul persidangan tiga tahunannya di sini petang ini.
“(Mulai sekarang) kesatuan gabungan apabila mengadakan perundingan CA, perlu mengemukakan perkara ini untuk pertimbangan (majikan masing-masing),” katanya.
Semalam, dilihat sebagai isyarat arah aliran menjelang pilihan raya umum ke-13, Syed Shahir berkata, pihaknya mahu kerajaan melaksanakan dasar gaji minimum dilaksanakan secepat yang mungkin.
“Seberapa segera. Ya, keyakinan saya tinggi (akan dilaksanakan sebelum pilihan raya umum),” kata Syed Shahir.
“Kami akan menyokong mana-mana parti yang menghormati hak-hak pekerja,” kata beliau sambil menambah, walaupun ramai ahli MTUC berlainan parti tetapi dalam isu pekerja “kami bersatu.”
MTUC dilihat akan meletakkan ia sebagai salah satu perkara yang akan dituntut pihaknya pada pilihan raya umum ke-13.
Isu gaji minimum menjadi isu diperjuangkan MTUC sejak enam dekad yang lalu.
MTUC mempunyai 500,000 ahli dengan 260 kesatuan gabungan.
Hampir 80 peratus kesatuan gabungannya adalah dari swasta dengan hampir 60 peratus ahlinya memperoleh gaji bawah RM1,200 sebulan – dalam lingkungan RM600 hingga RM750.
Gaji minimum dijangaka akan memanfaatkan tiga juta pekerja secara langsung.
Dalam pada itu, MTUC juga mahu Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) mengembalikan bayaran kematian – yang dikurangkan secara drastik daripada RM30,000 kepada RM2,000 – diputuskan 10 tahun lalu.
Perkara itu telah dibangkitkan tiga kali pada persidangan perwakilan MTUC sebelum, kata sebuah kesatuan gabungannya.
Pengurangan itu salah satu daripada tiga keputusan diambil KWSP pada 2001.
Laporan media Jun 2001 berkata, MTUC dan KWSP telah mencapai persetujuan awal untuk mengubah formula bayaran faedah hilang upaya berdasarkan tempoh kerja seseorang pencarum.
Kedua-dua badan itu telah mencapai persetujuan untuk mengubah formula semasa iaitu bayaran tetap RM2,000 yang dikuatkuasakan sejak 1 Julai 2000, pada pertemuan tiga penjuru dengan Timbalan Menteri Kewangan ketika itu Datuk Chan Kong Choy.
Malah ketika itu, Setiausaha Agung MTUC, G. Rajasekaran berkata, pihaknya mengemukakan pandangan bahawa adalah wajar dan adil sekiranya seseorang pencarum yang mengalami situasi hilang upaya dibayar wang sagu hati mengikut tempoh dia bekerja.
“Jika dia diberi bayaran tetap hanya RM2,000, ia tidak akan banyak membantu pencarum (pekerja) berkenaan.
“Oleh itu kami berpendapat adalah wajar diberi bayaran mengikut formula tempoh dia bekerja dan umurnya, meskipun pada awalnya KWSP berpegang kepada formula yang digunakan sejak Julai lalu itu,’’ kata beliau.
Pada 9 Mei 2001, Perdana Menteri Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad memberi jaminan akan menyelesaikan tiga isu berkaitan KWSP termasuk menangguhkan pelaksanaan skim insurans anuiti dan menimbangkan supaya faedah hilang upaya dikembalikan.
Bayaran elaun hilang upaya merupakan salah satu daripada enam isu yang dibangkitkan oleh memorandum bantahan kepada pengurusan KWSP.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/bahasa/article/mtuc-wajib-gabungan-tuntut-gaji-minimum-rm1200-dalam-ca/

Minimum wage plan gives employers the jitters

WITH reference to the letters ‘Malaysia has to stay competitive’ (The Star, Dec 27) and ‘A better investment climate’ (The Star, Dec 29), I would like to state the concern of the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) with regard to recent developments affecting employers and the business community.
Though the Government has done well to improve the competitiveness of the nation through various initiatives, including the advent of Pemudah, Pemandu, New Economic Model (NEM) and Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), employers and investors are nonetheless concerned by some of the proposed changes.
Some of these concerns include the proposed national minimum wage, the extension of maternity leave from 60 to 90 days, the requirement to provide health insurance for foreign workers, unemployment insurance and the increasing number of public holidays being declared from time to time.
While MEF welcomes the Government’s decision to establish the National Wages Consultative Council, efforts to enact the proposed National Minimum Wages Act 2011 even before the setting up of the National Wages Consultative Council have given employers the jitters.
MEF is of the view that to propel Malaysia into a high income economy, wages should be determined by market forces and the Government should not interfere and dictate in fixing the level of wages in the private sector.
Conversely, higher income without corresponding increase in productivity and performance will be detrimental to Malaysia’s overall competitiveness.
Evidently, the imposition of minimum wage for private security guards has resulted in companies having to pay about 100% more than the current rate for security ser­vices.
Furthermore, in countries where the national minimum wage has been implemented, there has been no indication of job creation.
Employers are also very concerned with the Government’s decision to require foreign workers to have health insurance with effect from Jan 1, 2011.
Whilst the decision was based on RM18mil uncollected hospitalisation bills of the two million registered foreign workers in the country, the cost of health insurance to foreign workers – at a rate of RM120 per person – is tantamount to a whopping RM240mil per year.
Even though the amount is to be paid by the foreign workers, eventually the cost will be passed on to the employers.
The Government’s inconsistent policy with regard to the requirement to provide health insurance to foreign workers has made the situation more confusing for employers as it was earlier decided that the plantation sector would be excluded.
However, this is no longer the case as foreign workers in the plantation sector are also required to take health insurance and the cost of such insurance is to be borne by the plantation employers. This definitely was not part of the deal.
MEF is of the view that the proposed unemployment insurance would be a bailout for a small number of irresponsible employers not complying with the current provisions under various legislations, which are adequate in protecting employee rights.
The proposed pension fund is a duplication of the fund already set up under the EPF.
The proposed unemployment insurance should not be set up as, according to the Human Resources Ministry, the actual amount of unpaid retrenchment benefits as at 2009 was about RM25mil.
In the event that employers and employees in the private sector contribute RM0.50 per month to the proposed RBGF, the amount collected would be about RM11mil per month, or RM132mil a year – of which about 40% or RM52.8mil, would be utilised for administration cost.
The proposal to set up unemployment insurance with a total collection of about RM132mil per year to address the problem of RM25mil unpaid retrenchment/termination benefits does not make any business sense.
More effective and efficient enforcement of the law and regulations by the Government would ensure further reduction in the rate of non-compliance.
The proposal to extend maternity leave to 90 days is also a serious concern. Should maternity leave be extended to 90 days based on the present arrangement, the additional cost to employers is estimated to be about RM1.1bil per year for maternity leave pay.
The additional cost would pose an unreasonable burden on employers and severely impact the overall level of productivity and competitiveness of our nation.
On the issue of public holidays, it is a fact that Malaysia has one of the highest numbers with 18 or 19 public holidays per annum (depending on which state you are in).
Though it is nice to have a day off to celebrate Malaysia winning the AFF Suzuki Cup, the actual cost to employers in terms of wages is in fact about RM1bil per day – and this excludes other losses such as production and services.
It is pertinent to note that presently, based on a five-day work week, there are only 142 working days per year (after deducting weekends, public holidays, annual leave and 60 days’ maternity leave).
Whilst the above proposals are being actively pursued by the authorities, the proposals by the employers’ community to have more flexible labour laws to effectively manage their human resources have been left on the back burner.
SHAMSUDDIN BARDAN,
Executive Director,
Malaysian Employers Federation.
 
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2011%2F1%2F2%2Ffocus%2F7723708&sec=focus&sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4d2083275d9e4ec2%2C0

Pekerja ladang cabar pampasan 'tidak adil'

Kesatuan Kebangsaan Pekerja-pekerja Ladang (NUPW) hari ini memfailkan permohonan semakan kehakiman di Mahkamah Tinggi (Bahagian Rayuan dan Kuasa-kuasa Khas) di Kuala Lumpur untuk membatalkan sebahagian perintah Mahkamah Perusahaan yang didakwa tidak memberi faedah kepada 40,000 pekerja kilang kelapa sawit dan pemetik kelapa sawit.

NUPW memfailkan permohonan pada pukul 2 petang di pejabat Pendaftar Mahkamah Tinggi menerusi firma peguam Tetuan Kesavan & Co.

NONEDalam afidavit sokongan, Setiausaha Agung NUPW Datuk G Sankaran menyatakan bahawa keputusan Pengerusi Mahkamah Perusahaan Ong Geok Lan, bertarikh 26 Nov, 2010 mengambil kira pertimbangan faktor-faktor tidak relevan dan gagal untuk melihat fakta-fakta berkaitan sebelum membuat keputusan.

Sankaran juga menyatakan bahawa Ong khilaf apabila membuat tafsiran undang-undang berkaitan perjanjian kolektif di mana ganti rugi adalah bertentangan dengan skim umum, polisi dan hasrat Akta Hubungan Perindustrian 1967.

Beliau menegaskan Menteri Sumber Manusia telah merujuk perkara itu ke Mahkamah Perusahaan untuk timbang tara selepas NUPW dan persatuan Pengeluar Pertanian Malaysia (MAPA) pada 22 Dis, 2008 gagal mencapai persetujuan berhubung dua perjanjian kolektif bagi pekerja kilang kelapa sawit dan pemetik kelapa sawit yang tamat pada 30 Jun, 2008.

NONESankaran (kanan, berbaju merah) menyatakan bahawa mahkamah juga "gagal menjelaskan" tentang tarikh penguatkuasaan perjanjian kolektif yang baru serta tempoh perjanjian berkenaan seperti yang disyaratkan mengikut Seksyen 30(7) akta itu.

Ong, dalam keputusannya, menyatakan tarikh pemberian ganti rugi berkuatkuasa pada 1 Nov, 2010 dan akan kekal dilaksanakan berterusan bagi tempoh tiga tahun.

Sankaran memberitahu pemberita kemudian bahawa perintah mahkamah itu secara umumnya tidak menguntungkan pekerja ladang, dan ia gagal untuk melindungi hak para pekerja seperti yang diperuntukkan undang-undang.

"Mahkamah Perusahaan gagal untuk memastikan imbuhan lebih baik kepada para pekerja dan satu-satunya harapan kami sekarang adalah kepada Mahkamah Rayuan untuk membuat keputusan yang menyebelahi kami, di mana kebanyakan pendapatan bersih para pekerja adalah di bawah RM500, lebih rendah daripada sektor-sektor lain.

NONESetiausaha Eksekutif NUPW A Navamukundan berkata tiada banyak perubahan dalam struktur gaja para pekerja, di mana upah harian bagi pekerja kilang hanya melihat kenaikan RM13.50 kepada RM15, iaitu lebih rendah daripada gaji minimum bulanan RM700 yang diminta kesatuan.

"Perjuangan kami untuk mendapatkan gaji bulanan bagi pekerja ladang tidak akan berhenti di sini," katanya,

Seramai 250 pekerja kilang kelapa sawit dan pemetik kelapa sawit yang datang dari Johor dan Perak berada di pekarangan Kompleks Mahkamah Jalan Duta di Kuala Lumpur hari ini untuk memberi sokongan mereka kepada NUPW dalam usaha mendapatkan gaji lebih baik.

- Bernama

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/152307

NUBE sabotaging us, says Maybank union

KUALA LUMPUR: An in-house union formed by a group of non-executive employees of Maybank has refuted claims it had been operating illegally.

In a statement here, the Maybank Non-Executive Emplo­yees Union (Mayneu) said it was registered on Jan 3 under the Human Resources Ministry’s Department of Trade Union, as provided for under the Trade Union Act 1959.

Mayneu protem president Wan Ahmad Nazrul accused the National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) of trying to prevent its members from joining Mayneu.
“NUBE has told its members it is negotiating with Maybank to pay each of them bonuses backdating to 80 months. The sudden demand for the backdated bonus came after actions taken by Maybank’s non-executives to form an in-house union.

“The same demand had not been made on other banks although their non-executive employees are governed by the same collective agreement negotiated by NUBE, which had agreed to a contractual bonus of two months in the first place,” he said.

Mayneu claimed that NUBE had been trying to divert the members’ attention and gain public sympathy by distributing leaflets to tarnish Maybank’s image.

“With the setting up of Mayneu, the NUBE stands to lose its Maybank non-executive members, who make up a large number of NUBE’s membership,” added Wan Ahmad.
He said Mayneu has started a nationwide recruitment exercise, adding that more than 1,500 non-executives have joined the in-house union — exceeding the minimum number of members required to be recognised.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2011%2F1%2F27%2Fnation%2F7879952&sec=nation

Maybank forms inhouse union

Malayan Banking Bhd has formed an in-house union for non-executive employees, a move aimed at enabling the staff to resolve issues through consultative methods and not by confrontation. It was formed in October last year.

Known as the Maybank Non-Executive Employees Union (Mayneu), it is now on a nationwide exercise to recruit 3,500 members, which is the half-way mark required for the union to gain recognition from Maybank.

In its first ever statement today, the newly-formed union said once this recognition was obtained, the bank's non-executives would be represented by Mayneu.

Currently, more than 1,500 Maybank non-executives have registered with the union.


Maybank is the largest bank in Malaysia with more than 380 domestic and 90 international branches.

Meanwhile, the National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) said Mayneu would not jeopardise the position of 7,000 Maybank employees who are members of NUBE.

Its Secretary-General, J. Solomon, said NUBE would continue to champion the rights of all its members. -- Bernama

http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20110126215735/Article/index_html

Trade Union(3) : Should it be independent of party politics? Government wants it, what do workers want?

In my continued search for the history of the trade union in Malaysia, and for more information about this person, John Alfred Brazier, it seems that this Brazier was a 'government man' or a 'pro-government person'. His intention was to re-create trade unions - not necessarily for the benefit of workers. His intention seem to be to pull out the fangs of the worker movement, so that the 'new' unions would be more acceptable to the government. 
The Englishman, who was with the British Trade Union Council, was sent to Malaya to advise trade union leaders to eschew militant unionism and move, instead, towards moderation and create unions amenable to the government. 
Maybe, the time has come for the worker movement in Malaysia to stop wanting to stay 'amenable' to the government, and start fighting for worker rights. Not only do Malaysian workers still not have minimum wages, but they have also lost their right to secure direct employment until retirement. As days go by, their rights are further being withered away. 
Maybe, we should stop wasting time with all these closed-door consultations between trade union leaders and government, and bring the fight to the workers...It is sad that MTUC and/or the worker movement still do not have a regular weekly worker magazine/newspaper for Malaysian workers.

See also earlier posts:

 

Monday, September 17, 2001 The Star

Union of discord
by Dr P. RAMASAMY


THE National Union of Plantation Workers (NUPW), the sole national union for plantation workers in Malaysia today, was born of a merger between state-based unions. Needless to say, it was a birth accompanied by severe labour pains. A combination of factors with roots in colonial history, the post-World War II labour policy of the colonial government, and the need to contain the spread of communism in general and militant left-wing trade unions in particular helped create this awkward child.

In June 1954, five plantation state-based unions amalgamated to form the National Union of Plantation Workers. They were the Plantation Workers Union of Malaya (formerly Negeri Sembilan Indian Labour Union), Malayan Estate Workers Union (formerly Perak Estate Employees Union), Johor State Plantation Workers Union (formerly North Johor Indian Labour Union), Malacca Estate Workers Union and Alor Gajah Labour Union (in Malacca).

A moderate trade union such as the NUPW could not have developed in the charged atmosphere of the Emergency (declared by the British in June 1948 to battle communist insurgency) without guidance from the Trade Union Adviser of Malaya, John Brazier. The Englishman, who was with the British Trade Union Council, was sent to Malaya to advise trade union leaders to eschew militant unionism and move, instead, towards moderation and create unions amenable to the government.

The declaration of the Emergency provided a convenient platform for his office to identify pro-British union leaders who would be amenable to the employers’ and government’s points of view on industrial matters. In this respect, the close relationship between the adviser and some noted union leaders played a significant part in the evolution of post-war colonial labour policy. The policy in essence was the containment of left-wing union activities through a combination of repressive and responsive initiatives that influenced the trade union movement to pursue objectives that were “moderate” and “reasonable”.

Thus, in the course of his work, Brazier – with the help of the Special Branch – was able to identify union leaders who were anti-communist, of middle-class origins, who could speak English and, most importantly, who would work together with the government in building a trade union movement without left-wing tendencies. A few years after the declaration of the Emergency, Brazier succeeded in identifying and nurturing good personal relationships with leaders such as P. P. Narayanan (Plantation Workers Union of Malaya), John Emmanuel (Malayan Estate Employees Union), Govindan Nair (Johor State Plantation Workers Union), one Dawood (Alor Gajah Labour Union) and Subbiah (Malacca Estate Workers Union). It was these leaders who eventually played a key role in the formation of the NUPW.

Although Brazier identified these leaders, he had to insure there was nobody in these unions who would be sympathetic to the radical and left-wing unions. Archival records show clearly how Brazier used the Special Branch to intimidate leaders who did not follow his dictates. For instance, Rayal Jose and K.P.C. Menon, who were opposed to Narayanan’s close accommodation with the British authorities, were removed from the trade union scene through threats, Special Branch intimidation and other methods that eventually worked to the advantage of Brazier and his main ally, Narayanan.

Forming a single union for plantation workers was important for a number of reasons. First, the plantation industry was strategic in view of the significant amount of revenue generated. Second, this sector had a large number of unions and could serve as a model for the trade union movement in Malaya. Third, Brazier had the most contact with plantation trade unionists compared with other sectors; thus, the plantation sector provided the most convenient platform for shaping the direction of the trade union movement in the post-war period.

Before the integration of the five unions took place, an impression was created that the merger would assume the form of an amalgamation. When the integration process gained momentum, however, it became clear that the objective was not so much amalgamation but a full integration where member unions would lose their identity. Despite the opposition of some of the member unions, integration could not be halted.

The colonial government’s support for the merger, the backing of the influential International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, the need for workers’ solidarity to deal with wage cuts, and the close alliance between Narayanan and Brazier and others ensured that the integration of the five unions into one union was beyond challenge.

But then, in the 1960s, as result of the ineffective representation of plantation labour by the NUPW, a rival union, the United Malayan Estate Workers Union, was formed in Seremban to take up the cause of estate workers. It was short-lived as it was banned by the government on the grounds that it was the front for the Communist Party of Malaya. A number of trade activists associated with this union were detained under the Internal Security Act.

With the banning of this alternative union, the NUPW emerged as the sole union for plantation workers in the country. Thus, in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, the union closely accommodated with employers and the state in ensuring that plantation labour would not adopt radical measures to challenge the status quo. The union sought to seek representation by placing emphasis on collective bargaining, tripartite negotiations, and obtaining piecemeal concessions from employers. Thus, the union could not provide effective representation for labour in plantations.

Whether the NUPW can really champion the rights of plantation workers today remains doubtful. Urbanisation and commercialisation in the last two decades suggest that the country’s plantation industry might not last too long as higher labour costs and loss of land force employers to relocate to other areas. If this is going to be the likely trend in years to come, then the union might have problems in terms of recruitment and representation.

Dr P. Ramasamy is a professor of political economy at the Political Science Department, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; he is currently researching conditions of plantation labour in Sumatra, poverty among former plantation workers, and the impact of the Asean Free Trade Agreement on trade unions in Asean. Among his publications on these subjects is Plantation Labour, Unions, Capital and the State in Peninsular Malaysia (Oxford University Press, 1994).

http://charleshector.blogspot.com/2011/01/trade-union3-should-it-be-independent.html

Trade Union(2) : Should it be independent of party politics? Government wants it, what do workers want?



Well, continuing our earlier discussion, another article that appeared in Malaysiakini that may be of interest.

I doubt the political parties the leaders of MTUC belonged to made any difference when it came to this current UMNO-led BN government when it comes to worker rights. I believe that the leaders before Syed Shahir were from BN (or pro-BN) but still there was no gains made by the trade union movement. 
MTUC and the Malaysian Trade Union movement may have just become 'toothless tigers' and this pro-employer/big businesses government is not just interested in worker welfare. Knowing that about 30% of Malaysian workers are earning below poverty line wages, this government has continued to increase cost of living by price hikes, removal of subsidies, goods and services tax(GST), etc...Maybe, it is time for workers and their unions to stand up and exert themselves...as they fight for their rights. 




Malaysiakini 29 12 10

COMMENT- The 61-year-old British-fathered Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) is still bogged down on the question of whether it is right for its leaders to be active in political parties (especially opposition parties).

Or whether it should continue to remain “free, independent, democratic and responsible” as its British father John Alfred Brazier had preached way back in the late 1940s.

A few candidates vying for various positions in today’s MTUC elections have so far stated only their personal preferences and have not moved any motion to bar MTUC from political involvement.

Should MTUC enter politics (especially the opposition politics) or not has been the essential question haunting its leaders from the day of its inception.

If the present leadership is serious about barring the MTUC and its leaders from entering politics, then the right thing to do is to seek the decision of the delegates to that effect during its ongoing annual general meeting. What matters is the decision of the delegates, not the personal preferences of the contestants.
The fact that there is no such motion makes one to think that all this talk of “no politics” is aimed at only 

                                                                                                                      getting rid of candidates who are aligned with PKR.The incumbent president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud (right), who is going for another term, is an active member of PKR.

His challenger Mohd Khalid Atan is a protégé of the outgoing secretary-general G Rajasekaran, and had been preaching the gospel of John Brazier that he would “endeavour to restore the image of MTUC as an independent and apolitical workers organisation”.

In supporting Atan’s proposal for an apolitical workers organisation, Rajasekaran also contended that if the MTUC entered politics, the government would use race to further divide and weaken the workers’ federation.

Solomon’s political leanings no secret

One of the candidates for the post of secretary-general, Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid, is already the Hulu Langat MP and PKR member. The other candidate is J Solomon of the National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE).

Solomon had been open about his support for former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and had said that he supported Najib’s 1Malaysia. So, his political leanings are no secret and he readily agreed with Rajasekaran that the MTUC leadership should work closely with the government to bring benefits to the workers.

The third candidate for the post is the incumbent deputy secretary-general, Abdul Halim Mansor, who is backed by Rajasekaran.
Rajasekaran (left) appears to be having nightmares about the two PKR men holding the two top posts of president and secretary-general, saying it would “compromise the congress on the decisions it makes”.

His argument is that because some of the past MTUC leaders were in the opposition parties, the government regarded the congress as anti-government and that “the incoming council should eradicate this perception (of being anti-government) and sincerely work with the government to achieve substantial benefits for the members”.

So, to come out of the 61-year-old malaise that has turned the MTUC into an anti-governmental organisation and to be on a buddy-buddy basis with the government in order to bring substantial benefits to the members of the unions affiliated to the MTUC, Rajasekaran, who has been the secretary-general of MTUC for 17 years, has himself, and through his supporters, put forward one simple proposition to the delegates voting today: Do not allow the two PKR strongmen to occupy the two top posts in MTUC.

If the two PKR men were stopped in their quest for the two topmost posts, Najib might invite the leaders for a 1Malaysia dinner. But, would the MTUC leaders get what they have been waiting for the last 61 years?

‘Indian influence predominating’

A peep into the past of MTUC would leave no one in doubt as to the purpose for which it was created.
Back in the mid 1940s, the Pan-Malayan Federation of Trade Unions (PMFTU) had emerged as a serious threat to the British political and economic interests in Malaya. In June 1948, the Emergency was declared and the PMFTU was outlawed and its president, SA Ganapathay, was hanged.

To fill the “dangerous vacuum” left by the disappearance of the PMFTU, Brazier and his staff moved around and picked some English educated trade unionists who, according Brazier himself, had “no intimate contact with the large majority of non-English speaking workers… few are aggressively champions of workers and too many of them rely ultimately upon government support for their positions”.

Some of these trade unionists, like Ooi Thiam Siew of Penang MTUC, were sent overseas, including to Ruskin College, Oxford, to study “responsible unionism”. A few were appointed to the Federal Legislative Council and the Labour Advisory Board.

After the training at Ruskin, Ooi asked, “What do we prefer to have in Malaya… a fighting union with all its attendant evils to workers, employers, the public and the government or a responsible union with necessary encouragement and cooperation, not only from the government, but sympathy and bond of friendship extended by all employers?”

With this type of new responsible trade union leaders “thoroughly re-educated”, British High Commissioner Henry Gurney was ready to form a central organisation for workers in Malaya. He told the colonial secretary in his despatch dated April, 25, 1949, that it would be “something akin” to the British TUC “with the Indian influence predominating”.

Thus was born the MTUC of today, complete with measures to divide and rule the Malayan workers. The trade union leaders, who had been handpicked by John Brazier, pledged themselves to practise “free, independent, democratic and responsible unionism” and remain loyal to the colonial government.

Now, 61 years later, we have Mohd Khalid (right) promising to return to the pledge made then. Rajasekaran and Soloman are the current versions of Ooi Tiam Siew.

At the 1950 conference, PP Narayanan was elected the first president of MTUC. As far as the workers were concerned, his election was anything but democratic. He was first “selected” and approved by the Malayan colonial government, the employers and the colonial office, before he was “elected” at the conference.

The conference was held under the watchful eye of Brazier, who was the adviser to the conference, where and it was even proposed that “Mr John A Brazier, MBE” be appointed an honorary president of the council.
Of the 43 motions debated at the conference, two are of relevance today. One called on the government to take early steps to provide machinery for the determination of a minimum wage. The other one asked that the minimum wage for daily-paid workers be fixed at $2.30. MTUC appears to be still where it started!

Loyalty to government never in question

Unlike the leaders of the PMFTU, whose commitment to the cause of labour was beyond question, which was even acknowledged by Brazier, MTUC leaders chosen by him were to pledge their loyalty to the government. Brazier made sure of that.

At the delegates conference held in 1950, the chairman of the conference, MP Rajagopal, in declaring MTUC’s loyalty to the government said, “We are solidly behind the government in its efforts to end the present emergency.” In due course, similar pledges of loyalty to the Alliance government were also made.

Even in the 1960s, when the MTUC was confronted with serious problems arising from the various amendments to the various labour legislation and came under pressure to take political action, it declared in February 1964, “The MTUC is politically non-aligned… It desires to remain free to criticise the government of the day… It is the determination of the MTUC to remain and retain its identity as a free, independent, democratic and responsible national trade union centre”. This Brazieren tenet still rules the roost.

Worst still. The then Minister of Labour V Manickavasagam, who was the least cooperative of all the ministers, sought to become president of the International Labour Organisation. MTUC did campaign actively to defeat his rival from the Philippines. And the MTUC felt very proud of its achievement.

In the late 1980s and into the early 1990s, Lim Ah Lek, then minister of human resources, did all he could to create in-house unions and set up a counter national trade union centre called Malaysian Labour Organisation. Yet, MTUC cooperated with him in the matter of submitting a joint country report to the ILO annual session.

MTUC has remained steadfast in its commitment to support the government during the last 61 years. It is the government and prime ministers like Abdullah Ahmad who have treated the MTUC with contempt. Did not Abdullah tell the MTUC, “you can picket 100 times, the decision of no stays”?

 MTUC leaders have been in politics all the time

Even if the MTUC shuns politics, others want it in party politics. It is one of the largest organisations in the country. Onn Jaafar and Tan Cheng Loke were the earliest to woo it.

Narayanan was a member of the Kuala Lumpur branch of Onn’s Independence of Malaya Party (IMP), along with John Brazier. In fact, that was the first incident that caused Tunku Abdul Rahman to doubt the MTUC’s loyalty to his government!

Further, Narayanan’s involvement with IMP stood in the way of the MTUC joining forces with the Labour Party.

NUBE’s president Yeoh Teck Chye was a prominent president of the MTUC from 1965 to1974 and he was also the MP for Bukit Bintang. He was a leading member of Gerakan, and later Pekemas.

The other notable one is Zainal Rampak. He was wherever V David was. But, later, he moved out from DAP to Semengat 46 and from there to Umno, and was later made a Senator.

Now, it is is Syed Shahir, a member of PKR. Of all the MTUC secretaries-general, the most prominent politician was David. To him politics was life.The other secretary-general, who was a member of Pekemas, was SJH Zaidi. Yeoh and Zaidi were holding office as president and secretary-general respectively at the same time. Even John Gurusamay, the deputy secretary-general, was a member of Pekemas. They never compromised the interests of the MTUC. There 
was not even an allegation of such compromise.
So, why now the complaint that Syed Shahir and Abdullah Sani (right), in the event they become president and secretary-general respectively, might compromise the interests of the MTUC?
It must also be noted that in all its 61 years, the MTUC had twice come close to formally entering the political arena. One, the move to join forces with the Labour Party, as referred to above.

In May 1965, a special delegates conference of the MTUC authorised it to involve itself in politics. As usual, there was a move to give the government some time to favourably consider its proposals in respect of its amendments to the various labour laws.

Since the government did not respond as expected, the 18th annual delegates conference adopted the committee’s report to look into the question of the MTUC’s involvement in politics.

Why did the MTUC do this? Zaidi says, “…while the MTUC had for about 20 years avoided taking part directly in politics, there was little choice in the matter by 1969 and this was because it felt that politics was perhaps the only course of action to bring an appreciable change in the government attitude toward labour and labour problems”. But nothing followed this decision.

So the MTUC just cannot say that it would remain an apolitical organisation no matter what happened to the workers. It should be borne mind that none of the present leaders of the MTUC is personally that close to the government leaders as were the earlier leaders. Yet, they were forced by the situation confronting them to take a stand.

The MTUC must always be prepared to do what is required to defend the rights of the workers it represents, including the removal of the government of the day.

MTUC is never neutral

Recently, the minister of human resources complained that the MTUC had lost its neutrality. Some MTUC leaders and affiliates think that the MTUC must be neutral, but that it can support the BN government. No trade union federation anywhere in the world is neutral. The MTUC was given the duty to be loyal to the government.

Britain’s TUC, the mother of all TUCs in the world, has never been neutral. It set up the Labour Party, which in 1945 unseated the ruling Conservative-Liberal coalition government.

In India, Jawaharlal Nehru was at one time president of both the Congress Party and the National Trade Union Congress. James Bob Hawk of Australia was the president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions as well the president of the Australian Labour Party and went straight on to become prime minister.

The government and ruling parties prefer MTUC to remain apolitical because they know what an angry working class can do to them.

But the MTUC of today is not in a position to flex its muscles. It is, in terms of numerical strength, very weak. It cannot even assemble enough workers to have a great May Day parade.

In 1948, 66.6 per cent of the total workforce of Malaya was organised into trade unions, according to the ILO Report. That accounted for the power of the PMFTU.

In 2010, MTUC represents only about 10 per cent of the Malaysian workers. No government, whether BN or Pakatan Rakyat, is going to bother about the MTUC, whether it is political or apolitical.

The MTUC leaders must also bear in mind that no government is going to listen to its demands and order the employers to comply. It works the other way round. This was pointed out way back in 1776 by Adam Smith: “Whenever the legislature attempts to regulate the differences between masters and servants, the counsellors are always the masters.” - Malaysiakini, 29/12/2010, No government will bother about MTUC
           http://charleshector.blogspot.com/2011/01/trade-union2-should-it-be-independent.html