PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SECURITY

A large majority of voters are from working families. Workers are the backbone of the economy and providers of families. They should be protected and nurtured. They should not be the victims of business restructuring, capitalist boom and busts cycles and technological advances.

Development should be oriented to serve the needs of citizens and should discard mega projects. Nation’s development would be measured by the standard of living enjoyed by its subjects and adequate social protection is needed to safeguard the quality of life. We call for a comprehensive reform of all social security schemes :-

(a) SOCSO has amassed huge sum of money and must use the fund to benefit workers. SOCSO should discard its practice of inventing legal loopholes to deny accident victims and disabled workers and their dependants SOCSO assistance;

(b) Social Security Act must be amended to provide full payment for employees who are temporarily or permanently unfit for work and provide 24 hour coverage against accident risks;

(c) EPF Act should be amended to provide a minimum dividend of 8% per annum;

(d) Provide housing loans at low interest rate to lower income group;

(e) Workers who are retrenched should be guaranteed of their statutory retrenchment benefits and they should be entitled to receive unemployment relief in the event they continue to remain unemployed.

In order to maximise social benefits, SOCSO and EPF should be merged together, and all gain should be utilised to grant enhanced benefits to contributors.

Government should amend the SOCSO Act and EPF Act to ensure greater efficiency and the Board should have at least 50% workers representatives. The coverage should include all working people irrespective of their income.
GUARANTEE TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE

Quality of life of working families should not fluctuate with business and economic trends. Workers are often forced to work long hours to get their essential needs. Despite increased profits, workers are not accorded reasonable benefits and Social Protection. Distribution of benefits should be done fairly.

In order to improve quality of life of working families, appropriate measures must be taken on the following:-

(a) Promulgate a basic minimum monthly salary of RM 900 for all sectors including plantation sector;

(b) A 5 day working week of 40 hours;

(c) Mandatory 90 days paid maternity leave;

(d) Child care facilities at work places;

(e) Eliminate all forms of sexual harrasment against women and men;

(f) Construct adequate supply of low cost homes and ensure availability of piped water, electricity and public transports;

(g) Education and healthcare should not be privatised and must remain as an essential public service under the purview of the Government;

(h) Review all privatisation projects which failed to provide efficient service to the public and consumers.

RIGHT TO SPEEDY LEGAL SAFEGUARDS

The dispute settlement machinery is an essential pre-requisite to promote and maintain industrial harmony. It is therefore imperative that Industrial Relations department, Industrial Court and Labor Court are strengthened to act fairly, professionally and expeditiously :

(a) The present system of appointing President and Chairman of the Industrial Court on a contract basis should be discarded;

(b) Labor Courts should be separated from conciliation process;

(c) Workers subjected to dismissal should be granted the right to be heard by the Industrial Court;

(d) Union recognition should be speedily resolved and automatic recognition should be granted to eliminate union busting activities by unscrupulous employers. Guarantees under Article 10 of the Malaysian Constitution should be respected and enforced.

COMMITMENT TOWARDS TRIPARTISM

We belief that consultation and cooperation between Government, employers and workers’ organizations is an essential element of a good industrial relations system. Meaningful consultation and cooperation will be seen as a reflection of the philosophy of government by consent and of sharing of responsibility for the well-being of the community as a whole.

To reflect the true spirit of consultation, the National Labor Advisory Council should be renamed National Labor Council. Government should recognise the right of the national trade union centre to nominate, withdraw or substitute their candidates to serve in tripartite bodies

STRENGTHEN JUSTICE & DEMOCRACY

Justice and democracy are fundamental to the fair distribution of the nation’s wealth and development of a political culture, which promotes stability and harmony. Without a functioning system, of check and balance, leaders spread the cancer of corruption into all realms of society thus eroding the fiber of society. Workers believe that for the country to move forward, democracy must be strengthened. This includes;-

(a) Introducing free and fair elections at all levels of government - from local councils to the Senate;

(b) Abolishing all laws which suppresses dissent – the ISA, OSA, Seditions Act, Police Act, University and University Colleges Act and the Printing Presses and Publications Act;

(c) Ensure better and efficient applications of public funds to benefit the public;

(d) The government also needs to take steps to allow the growth of a free and fair media and restore the independence of the judiciary, the Election Commission, Anti-Corruption Agency and the Attorney’s General’s Chambers.

Friday 12th Mac 2004