Malaysia is one of Asia's biggest employers of foreign labour. But recently, cases of deaths, abuse and forced labour have come to light. What is going on? Who is protecting these migrant workers?
Marginalization of workers need to be reversed
J. Solomon, Secretary General
We are at a time in history where we are seeing a shift in the political, social, cultural and economic landscape. The people are revolting, in many different ways. The political and economic status quo has deprived the common people of the world – the 99%.
We need to examine as to what is causing this revolt. The answers are not difficult to find, it is just that it is being ignored.
The global economic system has degenerated to a point where wealth and income inequality has been institutionalized. The rules are written in favor of the 1%, where the 99% work to deliver for the benefit of the 1%.
The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) was thought to have taught the world a few things. It actually did, and only that the lessons have been ignored. Taxpayers’ monies were used to bailout banks, where speculative practices caused the collapse of not just the industry but also the global economic system.
Mechanisms were put in place to prevent the problem from reoccurring, such as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act in the US, which was signed into law in 2010. Today, the banks are lobbying ferociously to reel back on the provisions that would serve to protect a recurrence of the same economic fiasco.
There is an imbalance in the global system of governance today that needs to be redressed. Globalization has failed the masses. It has resulted in the rise of precarious employment practices, the dilution of trade union and collective bargaining rights and many other imbalances. This has been institutionalized and is today a global phenomenon. It is the mainstay of the neoliberal agenda that has taken over the system of global governance.
Nations and states have today less power than the major transnational corporations. CEOs are being positioned as leaders of the world, when in fact they do not represent the interest of the cross-section of society and are mostly interested in profits.
Institutions that are supposed to protect the poorer countries such as the World Bank has effectively strayed from its objectives. In a recent World Bank report, it is said to be promoting the ease of hiring and firing workers to countries as a way to manage through the “new economy”. These global institutions have failed workers and the common people of the world.
Trade unions have to play a more active role and work to revive trade union activism. There is a need to fight against institutional injustices and it must be done at a global scale.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) must look at ways and means to exert pressure on global institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to ensure that as part of any economic agenda, the rights of workers and the common people are safeguarded.
Wages and trade union rights are being depressed through the process of globalization and that has to be reversed. Regulation is the answer. Trade agreements have to incorporate labor chapters that would cater towards greater employment opportunities, prevent employment abuses of all kinds and increase the standard of living of people. This cannot wait and the time to act is now.
ILO mission to promote social justice for universal and lasting peace must not be under the expense of workers as the imbalances and the inequality is widely visible among the 99%.
It is a shame on the eve of the centenary we are still disputing on regulating and negotiating for hours of work set out in the very first convention, 1919.
There is a need to revisit the existing approach taken in ILO as we meet annually here, our fellow workers on the ground are robbed of their legitimate peace in their daily life.
There is always hope. In Malaysia, people power prevailed very recently where a government of 60 years was replaced despite the many obstacles put in the way of change. The move towards restoring power in the hands of the people is becoming irresistible. We must work to make it happen.
Address: Wisma MTUC,10-5, Jalan USJ 9/5T, 47620 Subang Jaya,Selangor | Tel: 03-80242953 | Fax: 03-80243225 | Email: sgmtuc@gmail.com.com