KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 ― Having waited nearly a year, the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) hopes the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government will be able to accelerate its promised reforms for better worker welfare.
MTUC secretary-general J. Solomon said that when PH was voted into power last May, workers and trade unions had their hopes revived that a new administration would be able to improve the conditions for the bottom tier wage earners.
“We implore the new government not to drag its feet over the promised reforms. There must be action, passion and most importantly political will to bring the lost dignity back to the workers,” Solomon said in a statement to mark MTUC’s 70th anniversary, and Labour Day, which falls tomorrow.
Solomon said the current minimum wage of RM1,100 is still inadequate to meet living costs that have skyrocketed and urged the government to consider MTUC's proposal to increase the amount to RM1,800.
He also claimed that employment practices which allowed for the legalisation of casual and contract employment had become more rampant, which could lead to workers being denied their rights to decent wages and fair trade union representation.
Solomon called for reforms to prevent such exploitative practices by employers, which also included anti-union activities.
He also highlighted the importance of the Industrial Court in employee rights reforms.
“The Industrial Court should also serve as a court of equity and good conscience in the real sense, and recognize the role it plays in ensuring social justice prevails in the country,” he said.
