Monday, January 5, 2015

AUSTRALIA::Fruit picking industry operator investigated over claims of bullying, sexual harassment in Mildura


A Victorian man is being investigated by the Federal Government over allegations he has exploited backpackers working in the fruit picking industry, paying them as little as 60 cents an hour.

The Fair Work Ombudsman received several complaints about the Mildura operator just before Christmas, including allegations of sexual harassment.

Craig Bildstein, a director with the ombudsman's office, said there were also reports the man had crammed dozens of workers into one home, and another 12 in a garage.

"The suggestion's been put to us that backpackers are being charged up to $150 a week, with reportedly up to 32 people being accommodated in one home and a dozen or so more sleeping in the garage," he said

ILO::ILO presses brands to absorb wage hikes

PHNOM PENH - The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has called on apparel brands which source from Cambodia to absorb some of the cost of implementing the new minimum wage which has recently been set at US$ 128 per month. The ILO claims garment manufacturing factories are now facing the double-whammy of rising staff wages and stagnating apparel export prices and argues that brands should look to reflect the new minimum wage in the form of higher 'Free on Board' or export prices prices for 2015."
The new minimum wage for the approximately half-a-million workers in Cambodia's garment and footwear industry came into effect on 1 January. The ILO estimates that average wages (including bonuses and overtime) in the garment industry are likely to rise from US$ 183 to US$217 per month, while the pay rise is expected to increase factories' wage bills by approximately 18.7 per cent.
source;::http://www.ecotextile.coml

MALAYSIA::No Registered Nepali Female Workers In Malaysia? - MTUC President

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) president Mohd Khalid Atan stressed that there are no registered Nepali female workers in the country, even saying that he is not aware of their existence.

“There are no registered Nepalese female workers in Malaysia in the manufacturing and serving sector...not even as domestic workers. I am not aware of this,” he said.

He said this, seemingly shocked in response to a published interview by Nepalese newspaper, Nagarik News on 28 December 2014 with H.E. Dr Niranjan Man Singh Basnyat, Nepali Ambassador to Malaysia who had openly criticized the working conditions for Nepalese workers here.

MALAYSIA:::Cuepacs cadang potongan gaji penjawat awam untuk bantu mangsa banjir

Cuepacs cadang potongan gaji penjawat awam untuk bantu mangsa banjir
Cuepacs cadang potongan gaji penjawat awam untuk bantu mangsa banjir - Gambar fail

KOTA BHARU: Kongres Kesatuan Pekerja-Pekerja Di Dalam Perkhidmatan Awam (Cuepacs) akan mencadangkan kepada kerajaan agar setiap penjawat awam menyumbang melalui potongan gaji bulanan untuk membantu mangsa di negeri yang dilanda banjir.

Presiden Cuepacs, Datuk Azih Muda berkata, cadangan itu akan dikemukakan kepada Ketua Setiausaha Negara Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa dalam tempoh terdekat supaya penjawat awam boleh menyumbang pada kadar yang munasabah.

"Kalau boleh sumbangan minima RM5 tetapi kalau lebih daripada itu, kita amat alu-alukan," katanya kepada Bernama selepas menyampaikan sumbangan kepada mangsa banjir negeri ini, di Majlis Perbandaran Kota Baharu-Bandar Raya Islam di sini hari ini.

Azih berkata Cuepacs berharap potongan gaji itu dapat dilakukan pada bulan ini memandangkan kaedah itu adalah mekanisme terbaik dalam mengumpul dana bagi meringankan beban mangsa banjir.

Beliau berkata pihaknya juga meminta kerajaan menyediakan peruntukan khas untuk membeli peralatan sekolah termasuk pakaian seragam kepada pelajar yang terjejas dengan banjir.

"Masih ramai yang tiada baju sekolah, yang mana beli awal memang sudah rosak, nak beli untuk kali kedua duit pun sudah habis," katanya yang turut mencadangkan pembayaran yuran Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru (PIBG) ditangguhkan.