PSM-JERIT ke Kementerian Sumber Manusia -Membela akta gaji Minima untuk Pekerja

Hari ini , PSM dan JERIT telah mengadakan satu mesyuarat dengan Kementerian Sumber Manusia untuk membincangkan beberapa kekeliruan yang wujud menenai akta gaji minima yang dikuatkuasa sejak 1 Jan 2013.

PSM dan JERIT telah berkempen untuk Akta Gaji Minima ini untuk 10 tahun. Pada 3 januari 2013, PSM dan JERIT telah melancarkan satu hotline. Ratusan panggilan dipanggil oleh para pekerja yang ditipu atau enggan membayar gaji minima. 

Mesyuarat hari ini dipengerusikan oleh director policy secretariat, Kua Abun bersama dengan jabatan Tenaga Kerja, jabatan Perhubungan Perusahaan dan majlis Akta Gaji Minima manakala PSM diwakili oleh Setiausaha Agung S.Arutchelvan, Timbalan Pengerusi  M.Saraswathy dan Ahli JK Pusat V.Selvam manakala JERIT diwakili oleh Kogila and Bawani, Azhar dari kesatuan Sekerja Elektrikal, Rizana dari Imperial and Vani dari Guppy dan Stella dari persatuan Sahabat Wanita. 

PSM dan JERIT mengemukakan aduan terhadap 55 Syarikat yang enggan melaksanakan akta gaji minima atau menyeleweng. 

Beberapa penjelasan telah diberikan:

1. Akta gaji Minima adalah gaji pokok untuk 8 jam kerja. Kerja elaun dan lain-lain faedah yang ada sekarang tidak boleh dimasukkan dalam gaji minima

2. Gaji pekerja asing dan tempatan adalah sama. tidak ada diskriminasi

3. Tidak ada pindaan terhdap akta gaji minima

4. Jika pekerja tandatangan untuk struktur semula gaji maka ia akan menyukarkan hak mereka diperjuangkan. 

Dibawah adalah beberapa perkara keluar dalam PSM Kajang 

- 55 complaints against employers for not implementing minimum wage or manipulating such as allowances are added to make up the minimum wage, employee provident fund not contributed, work hours increased, work load increased, migrant workers are not paid minimum wage and transport facilities withdrawn.

-why is there no monitoring on the implementation from the KSM side?
-employers are asking the workers to show circular on the minimum wage act.  Why are they not aware?-why now the migrant workers are burden with Levi? Is it a punishment, why the discrimination?-why not the government help the 4,500 SMEs to enable them pay their workers the minimum wage?-how many times can a company appeal to postpone the implementation?
-can the employers force foreign workers to sign (restructured) agreement that gives them less salary?

The meeting chair said, the circular on the act  is available in their website – print order. Minimum wage is the basic wage for 8 hours work and it is for both local and migrant workers without any discrimination. If the employers want to include allowances to make up the minimum wage, must consult and agreed by the workers. The list of 600 employers who are exempted from the implementation till Jun 2013 are available in the HRM’s website. He said there is one-Malaysia hotline 03-80008000 for any kind of complaints.

No one can force anyone to sign any document. Once signed, considered accepted. The best is not to sign, said the Labour Department Assistant Director, Asri. Foreign workers subjected to such harassment can always lodge report to their Embassy  and the Labour Department. He also mentioned about their hotline that is in existence for decades 03-88905015 @ 88905016 @ 88905017.

Meanwhile, Shanmugam from the Min Wage Council said existing facilities e.g. transport, accommodation provided to the workers as stipulated in the workers contract cannot be retracted or withdrawn unless a new agreement signed without such facilities included. He also shared that they have done road show about the implementation and are planning another one after Chinese New Year. He also shared their hotline 03-88865156.

On the issue of Levi, it is the decision of the Home Ministry and implementation comes under the Immigration Department. This has nothing to do with HRM.

After hearing all the explanation, the delegation rep requested that the Ministry conduct intensive information sharing e.g. press conference, pamphlets and road show. It is important for two reasons – employees will know what is their right and the employers will not manipulate the workers. The delegation’s final hope is that the government will not make a u-turn because of the pressure from the rich and the powerful.

by
Letchimi Devi