Press Released
Malaysia Trades Union Congress (MTUC) calls for an immediate tripartite meeting between employers of JCY HDD Technology Sdn Bhd (JCY), Human Resource Ministry and MTUC on the recent strike by their foreign workers in protest of the companies, negligence in handling of health issues of their workers.
Our MTUC Johor Division officers on the ground have been following the case closely with some of JCY’s migrant workers. Workers shared that their protest escalated when one of the staff of JCY provoked by throwing stones at their private part when the workers refuse to ‘play the game of throwing stones’ at each other in their workplace at Kulaijaya. These workers, about 20 of them who participated in the strike in Tebrau were forcefully moved to Kulaijaya. At Kulaijaya these workers were forced to play a game of “volley ball with stone” as a punishment for taking part in the strike at Tebrau over the death of their co worker who complained of having difficulty in breathing.
According to the workers they resort to industrial action as they were dissatisfied in the manner the management handled their grievances. Their main concerns were on the issues concerning their health, work condition, poor hostel facilities, calculation of overtime, not adhering to off day’s entitlement, various deductions in their salaries and low compensation for accident and injuries. The workers were also displeased with the attitude of the management in that workers are beaten for any mistakes made. They said that the management have constantly not treating them with dignity and respect. Their concerns at workplace worsened over the years that their only option was industrial action.
MTUC is very concern in the way the management of JCY handle the issues of worker’s grievances at workplace. Management’s intimidation and hostile attitudes towards worker is totally unacceptable. These fundamental issues have been put off so long that workers have lost total confidence with the management of JCY. Our national policy and practices on protection of Migrant workers too have failed to address significantly the rights of migrant workers.
Human Recourse Ministry have repeatedly denied our call for Migrant workers to be given SOSCO benefit just as Malaysia workers instead migrant workers are covered by Workmen Compensation Scheme with computation of compensation differs extensively. There is justification no why dual set of computation of compensation is need for Malaysian and Migrant workers.
At the same time MTUC is concern on the over dependency of Migrant workers in JCY. It has been noted that about 95% of foreign workers employed by JCY are production workers. JCY’s depends on more than 10,000 migrant workers mainly from Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Vietnam. These only raises concerns that wage distribution and condition of employment offered have been inadequately address that prompt many Malaysian in Johor to work in Singapore instead.
MTUC also urge that police investigation should look into the provocation and alleged assault made by the management over the incident in Kulaijaya. Police investigation must be fair and unbiased towards all parties involved.
Meanwhile MTUC Johor Division will offer our services to all migrant workers especially workers who are affected in the incident in Kulaijaya and Tebrau. Migrant workers can call our hotline number at 016-2118024 should they need any assistance or inquiries.
Thank You.
Sincerely,
N. Gopal Kishnam,
Secretary General
PETALING JAYA, Aug 30 (Bernama) — The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) today suggested that the government follows the code of conduct for industrial harmony when retrenching staff from the troubled national carrier Malaysia Airlines (MAS).
