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"Trade unions numbering more than 270 in the country should place emphasis
on the quality of the workplace, reducing accidents and upgrading workers. But
here they are so keen to make excessive demands like the minimum wage policy.
<p>"They should not waste time with these excessive demands, rather they
should use this time for the betterment of workers," he said at the Occupational
Safety and Health Convention 2007 here. The convention was opened by Human Resources
Minister Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn.</p>
<p>Abdul Rahman said workers unions should not leave it to the government and
the authorities to reduce the number of accidents at the workplace but should
take it upon themselves to work towards this goal.</p>
<p>"Reducing the number of workplace accidents is not the sole responsibility
of the authorities but also the duty of Cuepacs (the umbrella union for the
civil sector) and MTUC (Malaysian Trades Union Congress) and other similar trade
unions," he added.</p>
<p>Early this month, MTUC, the private sector umbrella union, sent a memorandum
to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, asking the government to
impose a minimum wage policy for all the eight million workers in the country.</p>
<p>A week after handing over the memorandum, its members held a nationwide picket
to show their displeasure at not receiving a favourable response from the Prime
Minister’s office.</p>
<p>The umbrella union had also vowed to push this agenda of minimum wage policy
until the government relents.</p>
<p>– BERNAMA</p>
<p><i>Source: http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=274074</i>
Address: Wisma MTUC,10-5, Jalan USJ 9/5T, 47620 Subang Jaya,Selangor | Tel: 03-80242953 | Fax: 03-80243225 | Email: sgmtuc@gmail.com.com