KUCHING, April 24: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has urged the federal government to act against unscrupulous employers and ensure they protect the livelihood of their workers.
Due to the extended movement control order (MCO) for another two weeks until May 12, MTUC secretary-general J Solomon said the government must get employers to reaffirm their commitment not to retrench workers.
“MTUC notes that the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers said 63 per cent of their members are likely to retrench workers with 47 per cent having to do in the next three to six months.
“Such proclamations are not only irresponsible but, worse still, inflict much harm on the country should destitute workers lose their livelihood at a time when the government has no more money in the coffers to help them.
“We would like to propose to the government not to allow employers to use Socso funds to screen their employees for Covid-19, which may be a requirement to restart their operations,” he said in a statement.
He added that Socso fund should be strictly used by employers to compensate injured and dead workers and not be used for health screening purposes.
MTUC also urged the government to ensure the public and workers’ safety is accorded top priority.
“There are more and more non-essential businesses looking to resume their operations. The federal government must ensure the safety of workers and the public in any circumstances.
“The threat of another Covid-19 wave is still looming although the outbreak in Malaysia has been somewhat brought under control in recent days.”
Solomon urged the federal government to ensure the screening for Covid-19 is done at the expense of the employers, as more workers are expected to return to work.
With reports of possible second and third waves potentially hitting Malaysia, he said the federal government must take all precaution measures to prevent more cases of Covid-19. — DayakDaily
