Fong: Let unions call the shots
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/3/nation/18194753&sec=nation
KUALA LUMPUR: Companies with strong union representation should be allowed to negotiate their salaries instead of having a government-set minimum wage of RM900, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn said.
“If union representation is strong, let it be,” he told reporters after launching the National Human Re-sources Summit 2007 at a hotel here yesterday.
“They can get more than RM900, so why should we determine there should be that level?”
Dr Fong, who said the companies included those in the plantation and manufacturing sectors, cited Matsu-shita as an example of a firm with strong union representation where workers were in a good position to articulate their needs.
What about those companies who do not have strong union representation, or no unions at all?
He said a minimum wage would have an impact on companies such as fast food giants KFC Holdings Bhd and A&W, which employed school leavers.
“Any wage adjustment would affect the whole sector,” he added.
I'm sure that there can be some sub-clauses in the minimum wage legislation to cater for the school leavers temping at fast food chains.
Dr Fong reiterated that the ministry would continue to “engage” the MTUC on minimum wage, adding it was much more flexible to have a wage council in every sector.
“We are in the process of engaging with the MTUC.
“If they feel there is any particular industry where workers are not paid in accordance to their contribution, we are ready to move in to form these councils,” he added.
Dr Fong said seven such councils had been formed in the past two years, including for security guards and clinic assistants.
Ya, pass the buck back to MTUC to form these "wage councils". It delays minimum wage implementation and increases bureaucracy and therefore the perception is that the government is doing something useful.
When asked if maids should be included in minimum wage discussions, he said the sector should not be “tied together” with other categories because it would be unfair to the large number of households who needed the services of the maids.
Suddenly it's not fair to the households but entirely fair to the underpaid maids?
BLA BLA BLA!
Showing posts with label MTUC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MTUC. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Drop demand for RM900 minimum wage, MTUC told
Drop demand for RM900 minimum wage, MTUC told
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/6/27/nation/18139163&sec=nation
SEREMBAN: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress should be practical and drop its demand for a RM900 minimum wage for all private sector employees, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Fong Chan Onn.
Yes we still have people earning less than RM900 per month in Malaysia.
He said that if the Government were to comply with the demand, the country would lose its competitive edge.
I wonder how, by introducing minimum wage policy, will the country lose its competitive edge. The minister does not elaborate.
“Let’s be reasonable, we cannot allow our economy to be too rigid,” he said, adding that a blanket ruling could not be applied to workers in all sectors.
Dr Fong said the Government was prepared to discuss the matter with the MTUC but adopting a confrontational approach would not benefit anyone.
Yesterday, the MTUC organised one-hour pickets at several locations in the country. The biggest was held outside the EPF headquarters in Jalan Raja Laut in Kuala Lumpur in which some 1,000 workers participated.
I'm sure that these low wage earners are already being reasonable by organizing pickets and going through proper channels. If they were unreasonable, they would already be resorting to criminal activity to support their lives. Again, the minister does not elaborate what he means by the economy being too rigid.
Apart from the minimum wage, the MTUC is also demanding a RM300 cost of living allowance (Cola) for private sector workers.
“If we have a minimum wage of RM900, we would have to pay foreign maids as well as part-time workers the same amount. We can’t do that for everyone,” said Dr Fong.
Why is paying RM900 to foreign maids and part-time workers a problem?
The minister, however, admitted that a minimum wage could be introduced for workers in certain sectors such as dock workers and cargo handlers.
The minimum wage for most other sectors should be left to market forces, he said.
Why only these sectors? The minister again does not elaborate.
BLA BLA BLA!
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/6/27/nation/18139163&sec=nation
SEREMBAN: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress should be practical and drop its demand for a RM900 minimum wage for all private sector employees, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Fong Chan Onn.
Yes we still have people earning less than RM900 per month in Malaysia.
He said that if the Government were to comply with the demand, the country would lose its competitive edge.
I wonder how, by introducing minimum wage policy, will the country lose its competitive edge. The minister does not elaborate.
“Let’s be reasonable, we cannot allow our economy to be too rigid,” he said, adding that a blanket ruling could not be applied to workers in all sectors.
Dr Fong said the Government was prepared to discuss the matter with the MTUC but adopting a confrontational approach would not benefit anyone.
Yesterday, the MTUC organised one-hour pickets at several locations in the country. The biggest was held outside the EPF headquarters in Jalan Raja Laut in Kuala Lumpur in which some 1,000 workers participated.
I'm sure that these low wage earners are already being reasonable by organizing pickets and going through proper channels. If they were unreasonable, they would already be resorting to criminal activity to support their lives. Again, the minister does not elaborate what he means by the economy being too rigid.
Apart from the minimum wage, the MTUC is also demanding a RM300 cost of living allowance (Cola) for private sector workers.
“If we have a minimum wage of RM900, we would have to pay foreign maids as well as part-time workers the same amount. We can’t do that for everyone,” said Dr Fong.
Why is paying RM900 to foreign maids and part-time workers a problem?
The minister, however, admitted that a minimum wage could be introduced for workers in certain sectors such as dock workers and cargo handlers.
The minimum wage for most other sectors should be left to market forces, he said.
Why only these sectors? The minister again does not elaborate.
BLA BLA BLA!
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