Two European retailers, New Look and Inditex,
yesterday handed out financial support to workers of Smart Export
Garments which caught fire earlier in January killing eight and injuring
24.
Each of the 264 workers was given Tk 15,000 as three months' salary, at a
programme organised by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and
Exporters Association (BGMEA) at its premises.
MANILA, Philippines - Over 20,000 workers who lost their livelihoods
are taking part in the emergency employment programs to speed up
recovery after Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). Workers hired this year alone
will help rebuild their communities within decent and safe working
conditions.
Langkah yang lebih bersepadu dan berselaras bagi memperjuangkan hak
pekerja akan menjadi keutamaan dalam urusan pasukan Kongres Kesatuan
Sekerja Malaysia (MTUC) yang baru dipilih.
Presiden yang dipilih semula, Khalid Atan memberitahu Bernama hari ini
bahawa tim barunya yang mengandungi bakat yang pelbagai akan
melaksanakan pendekatan dan strategi baru berasaskan penyelidikan dan
fakta demi memeterai hubungan baru dengan industri dan kerajaan.

Malaysia needs a revived MTUC
The newly-elected office-bearers of the Malaysian Trades Union Congress
(MTUC) have brought hope to revive and rebrand the trade union movement
in the country.
Like other civil society organizations, the MTUC has borne the brunt of
a political system that had been driving full-speed towards
authoritarian rule. With a political reawakening in Malaysia, supported
strongly by the younger generation, MTUC delegates has acted in line
with the aspirations of Malaysians in electing its leadership.
Led by its newly-elected secretary-general N. Gopalakishnam, there is a
genuine hope that MTUC will play a more active role in restoring a
sorely lacking balance within the Malaysian industrial relations system.
There will undeniably be a lot of hard work ahead, and drastic changes
should not be expected of the new leadership immediately, as they will
be dealing with a system that needs an overhaul.
New data from the International Labor Organization (ILO) shows
labor markets in the Asia-Pacific region are still being tested by the
weak global economic environment.
In the body's Asia-Pacific
Labor Market Update for December 2013, it was revealed that some
economies are fragile at the present time, while others are showing
signs of resilience.