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"We
hope that they (MTUC) will not undertake this but continue discussing with the
government because we have certain considerations that we have to bear in mind.
"There
are far reaching consequences of a minimum wage but there are industry practices,
for example the industry can decide on the wage level that is acceptable but we
have not adopted the minimum wage policy in the country," the deputy prime
minister said after charing the meeting of the cabinet commitee on essential goods
here.
Yesterday the MTUC handed a memorandum to Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s office demanding that the government amend the Employment
Act 1955 to allow for a minimum wage of RM900 and an additional RM300 as Cost
of Living Allowance for private sector workers.
Its president, Syed Shahir
Syed Mohamud, said that the MTUC, which had given the government a one-week ultimatum,
would picket at various places in the country if the government did not respond
positively to its request.
The MTUC plans to picket simultaneously in Kuala
Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Bangi, Shah Alam, Klang, Johor, Kuching and Penang from
5pm to 6pm on Monday.
— BERNAMA
Source: http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=268254
Address: Wisma MTUC,10-5, Jalan USJ 9/5T, 47620 Subang Jaya,Selangor | Tel: 03-80242953 | Fax: 03-80243225 | Email: sgmtuc@gmail.com.com