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They will also receive 17 months in back wages as the last agreement expired
in 2005.
<p>Under the new agreement between the National Union for Plantation Workers (NUPW)
and the Malaysian Agriculture Producers Association (MAPA), effective June 1,
2007 till May 31, 2010, rubber tappers and field workers will also enjoy higher
rates for productivity incentives and other payments like shift and housing
allowances.</p>
<p>These increments will allow a rubber tapper to earn up to RM1,500 a month and
the lowest-paid field worker a basic wage of between RM500 and RM600 a month,
instead of RM450 previously.</p>
<p>NUPW and MAPA signed two agreements yesterday — the Rubber Tappers Agreement
which covers some 5,000 tappers and the Field and General Employees and Fringe
Benefits Agreement (for oil palm plantation workers) which covers some 25,000
workers.</p>
<p>The signatories for NUPW were its executive secretary A. Navamukundan and secretary-general
Datuk G. San-karan while MAPA was represented by director Mohamad Audong and
council member Ibrahim Abdul Majid.</p>
<p>The signing was witnessed by Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan
Onn at the ministry, here.</p>
<p>The agreements would cost plantations an additional RM54 million over the three
years, with back wages costing some RM26 million.</p>
<p>Navamukundan said the agreements were "well thought out" and would
improve the income of workers according to the productivity-linked wage system.</p>
<p>"As they say in Bahasa, ‘Tak ada kerja, tak ada hasil. Tak ada hasil,
tak ada upah’. (No work, no yields. No yields, no wages.)</p>
<p>"As long as workers work hard they can earn up to RM1,500 because there
are several income opportunities besides their basic wages," he said after
the signing ceremony.</p>
<p>Navamukundan said the productivity-linked wage system used in the collective
agreements were implemented together with the minimum monthly wage guarantee
of RM350 per month for each rubber tapper, and according to certain provisions
for field and general workers.</p>
<p>The minimum wage guarantee is meant to be a safety net which is paid out regardless
of work done, only when bad weather makes work or tapping impossible, and when
there is low crop yield.</p>
<p>Fong praised both sides for managing to avert industrial court action.</p>
<p>"It is an achievement, unlike the previous collective agreement which
was reached upon the directive of the industrial court," he said.</p>
<p>On the RM900 minimum wage for the private sector requested by the Malaysian
Trades’ Union Congress following the civil servants salary hike, Fong said
that he would discuss the matter with the MTUC and the Malaysian Employers’
Federation.</p>
<p>He said although the government had not enforced a minimum wage, most workers
were generally earning above the poverty line of RM691 in the peninsula, RM888
in Sabah and RM765 in Sarawak.</p>
<p><i>Source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/National/20070531081441/Article/index_html</i>
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