Tuesday, March 19, 2019

PRESS RELEASE
MTUC Penang Division

MTUC Penang Division is given to understand that Flyglobal Charter Snd Bhd  an airline operating Haj flights to the holy land, has failed to pay wages to some 300 of its employees since January 2019.

According to the National Union Of Flight Attendants Malaysia (NUFAM) it has received complaints from its members, and workers from the said airline, on the matter. According to NUFAM the said employer has also failed to make contributions to the EPF and SOCSO. Attempts, by NUFAM to seek a meeting with the said employer to pursue an amicable settlement in the matter, has not been successful on account of the management's refusal to meet up with the said union.

MTUC Penang Division, at the on-set, extends its solidarity with the affected workers of Flyglopal airlines - we can relate with the plight of having to meet with their economic obligations minus their only source of income. Having said that we condemn, in no uncertain terms, the lack of compassion on the part of the management of Flyglopal in denying the rightful, and lawful, wages due to the employees concerned. It is our view that irregardless of all other considerations no employer can claim a justification to deny or deprive workers of their hard earned wages. It is immoraly wrong and legally unacceptable!

Having regard to equity and good comscience we implore upon Flyglopal to  pay all outstanding wages to the workers concerned without any further delay. To the management of Flyglopal we say this- to work without been paid is nothing more than bonded labour!

MTUC Penang Division also calls upon the relevant agencies of the Ministry Of Human Resources to initiate immediate course of action in assisting NUFAM, and the affected workers, in the payment of wages so due to the workers. We also call upon MAVCOM and, by extension the Ministry Of Transport, to look into the matter as the said airline may well be in breach of its regulations in the matter.

K.Veeriah
Secretary MTUC Penang Division
19.3.2019
016 4184520

Monday, March 11, 2019

PRESS RELEASE
MTUC PENANG DIVISION

MTUC Penang has taken sight of notices from a couple of MNCs involved in the electronic manufacturing sector announcing manpower downsizing, lower wage increases, lower bonuses and periodic plant shut-downs. Besides the said written annoucements that we have seen we have also received reports that other companies are also planning to implement such measures.

The said notices, that we have read, attributes a weak global demand, weaker growth and an uncertain global outlook as the underlying causes for the course of actions that are undertaken by the said employers. The notices that we have seen, and the informations that we are receving, seems to indicate that the electronic sector employers are initiating down sizing and shut downs from end March 2019 onwards. It is our beleive that we have only received a tiny bit of information and are of the view that the uncertainity of the global market would, in all probabality, impact upon most of the major players in the sector. It is, therefore, our view that the Penang state government ought to call for a meeting with the electronic manufacters in Penang so that the depth of the problem can be appreciated. Such a meeting would also give the state an insight as to the manufacturers plan of actions in the face of challenges facing the sector. We would also take the liberty to propose that the said meeting be inclusive of all stake-holders, including the unions.

On the issue of plant shut-downs MTUC Penang demands that full wages be paid during such periods as any loss of wages would, inevitably, put tremendous pressure on the economical needs of the workers especially so with the prevailling escalating cost of living factors.

K.VEERIAH
Secretary MTUC Penang Division
11.3.2019
016 4184520

Friday, March 8, 2019

MTUC Penang Division views with utmost concern the eviction of tenants from their Taman Manggis homes by the state government of Penang. It is our view that the scales of compassion, and social justice, ought to have been the over riding consideration over the state government's unilateral rules on the eligibility of occupation of the units so allocated to the poor.

As we understand it the said eviction is being justified, amongst other issues, on the occupants income exceeding the limits so set by the authorities. On this score the question that needs to be postulated is whether the affected people's income has taken them out of the bottom 40 (B40) of income parity? MTUC Penang Division, thus, calls upon the state government to disclose the income levels of all those who stand deprived of their homes i.e. if they have moved out of the bottom 40!

It is also our view that, irregardless of income levels, the government has a moral obligation to provide affordable housing to the middle and low income wage earners of the nation. We, nevertheless, take cognisance of the fact that it is easier said then done! That, however, cannot justify the state government's action in throwing the Taman Manggis citizens into the streets the end result being them joining the homeless statstic of Penang.

Whilst the state government is determined on the massive creation of man made islands in the name of bringing development where is the focus on affordable homes that are to be build in the said reclaimed islands? It is obvious, in our view, that the state is paying lip service to the plight of the B40 and M40 segment of the citizens as opposed to the interest of the capitalist class!

MTUC Penang Division, therefore, demands that all the tenants so displaced from their Taman Manggis homes be given back their homes. We also call upon the state to give utmost consideration in providing for affordable homes for the B40 and M40 in the state.

Press release

K.Veeriah
Secretary
MTUC Penang Division
016 4184520
7.3.2019