Minimum Wage - RM900.00

Do you think that there is a need today in Malaysia to consider on the workers basic or minimum salary! Since independance we do not have standard salary in our labour laws, generally most workers are at the mercy of their employers and unable or do not have the right to bargain better terms and conditions of employment individually, because they are not organised into Unions, therefore they are unable to collective bargaining rights. The Union have been suggesting a minimum salary of RM900.00 per month to the government, the Ministry of Human Resources, thus far nothing has materialised on the matter. Do you thing that the labour laws must be amended to incooperate a minimum wage structuew? What's is your view on this matter?

Worker's Day - 1st May 2010

The National Union of Employees In Companies Manufacturing Rubber Products's Perak Branch in conjunction with 'Worker's Day' i.e 1st May 2010 had a worker's day gathering at the Multi Purpose Hall of the Handicap Childrens Home, located in Batu Gajah. Workers Day celebration has been conducted by the Perak Branch for the last ten years continously, at various locations within the State of Perak. Members from the various factories come and participate in this May Day celebration, this year the Union choosed the Handicap Children's Home to conduct this progrmme the reason being to expose to our members the phisycal disablities endured by the children's ofthe home and to bring an understanting and show compassion towards them. Many do not realise that there are so many childrens out there suffering in silence and no one to care, but we on the other end are living a much better life or rather living with comfort, it is time that we come and show some compassion towards this special children.

Although our beloved country Malaysia has acheived independence and tremendous growth both financially and infrature and political stability, and created many a millionaires, however, there is a vacuum in the life of the workers, the workers are not liberated from the opression of poverty and hunger, their take home pay does not commesurate with current inflation rate, the only earn between RM450.00 - 525.00, per month, they need to putin extra work through overtime to support their income and overtime is very scare. There is no meaning in the lives of the working class, day in and day out they slog at the production lines and stood as the foundation and backbone of the nation, and simultaniously help the capitalist to expend the business, and despite all these sacrificeses the working class has been left out in the lurch to suffer without any remedy. The Union is appealing to the Minister of Human Resources to set a minimum salary of RM900.00 for all workers, it is time the Minister takes the initiate to amend the Labour Laws to make new provisions to protect the working class. And as far as organising the workers into the unions has become very difficult and the prevailing laws impede the formation of Unions. Management/s refuse to abide by the laws are reluctan to sign the memorendum of agreement prior to conducting the balloting process, under such circumstances the Unionn stand to being defeaded in organising the workers.

Arjunan A.

Industrial Relations Officer