Timber workers' protest enters Day 20

The workers have been spending working hours under makeshift canopies since
May 4 where they were allegedly unfairly terminated from employment by the Indonesian-owned
plywood factory.
<p>Timber Employees Union Peninsular Malaysia (KPPSM) secretary general Mohd Khalid
Atan, said that about 300 employees were also not paid their April wages.</p>
<p>He claimed the workers’ services were terminated without accordance to employment
laws, and that the picket was perfectly legal under the Industrial Relations
Act.</p>
<p>Thus far, the police have been keeping vigil over the group who picket between
8am to 4.30pm daily, except on Fridays.</p>
<p>However, eye witnesses told malaysiakini that light strike force personnel
in riot gear were stationed within the factory compound early yesterday morning.</p>
<p><b>Ministry to act</b></p>
<p>The police had apparently received intelligence that the group, comprising
mostly women, were going to storm the factory.</p>
<p>The crux of the controversy seems to be over the factory&#146;s employment
of foreign workers, which Khalid claimed, were paid much more than their local
counterparts.</p>
<p>&#147;The company claims they have no money (thus unable to pay the workers),
yet they are keeping the foreigners. They should be the first to go,&#148; said
Khalid when met near the factory last week.</p>
<p>Compounding matters further was the company&#146;s alleged refusal to negotiate
a new collective agreement which expired last year, aggravating tensions leading
to the mass lay-offs, said Khalid.</p>
<p>Malay tabloid Harian Metro reported on Sunday that the deputy human resource
minister has formed a special committee to look into the matter, and has sent
three officers to investigate the worker&#146;s allegations.</p>
<p>The daily also said that the state government&#146;s second negotiation attempt
with the company has been futile.</p>
<p>It is however rumoured that the company might pay the worker&#146;s April wages
tomorrow.