ID :
45625
Sat, 02/14/2009 - 13:51
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/45625
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NUMBER OF RETRENCHED WORKERS IN PENANG MAY BE HIGHER
PENANG (Malaysia), Feb 14 (Bernama) -- The number of workers retrenched in northern Penang-state may be more than that reported by the Labour Department so far, said the secretary of the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC)'s Penang brach, K.Veeriah.
He said there was a possibility that there were employers who had not
reported the actual number of workers losing jobs as they are only required to
inform the department of workers laid-off.
"The number may not include workers offered voluntary separation schemes
(VSS), contracted workers and workers involved in out-sourcing activities whose
contracts had been terminated," he said when contacted by Bernama here.
He said the number of workers offered VSS may be higher than the number
laid-off but the Labour Department may not be informed.
Besides that, he said the number of foreign workers sent back also could not
be ascertained if it involved illegals.
"There is a big possibility that the number given to Chief Minister, Lim
Guan Eng, by the department recently is based on the figures received by the
deparment," Veeriah said.
Last week, Lim said 1,313 workers in the state had been retrenched by 31
employers in January and of that number 791 were locals and 522 foreigners.
He said of the 791 locals, 263 had worked in Butterworth and 528 in
Georgetown.
He said last year 3,251 local workers and 81 foreighers were laid-off by 129
employers in the state and highest number of them were 1,766 working in
Butterworth.
According to Lim although the number retrenched last month was about a third
of those retrenched for all of last year the situation was under control.
Veeriah said workers in the small and medium industries (SMIs) were the
most affected as several multinational companies reduced staff or shut down
operations here but did not report.
He said many SMI factories were vendors or supplied services or components
for multinational companies (MNCs) and they were surely affected if the MNCs
reduced production or shifted elsewhere.
He said the move to transfer Intel workers in Bayan Lepas to the Kulim High
Technology Park on the grounds of company consolidation recently represented a
closure of the plant in Penang and till now it was not known how many workers
would want to move to Kulim.
"If they do not want to move far from their homes or for other reasons they
may have to quit," he said.
In that relation, he said Penang MTUC is compiling daily information to see
how far the uncertain world economy would affect workers in the state, adding
that an electronic factory in Bayan Lepas wanted to lay off between 400 and 500
workers soon.
Meanwehile, Chief Minister II, P.Ramasamy, admitted there were other
factories in the state who wanted reduce foreign workers but the exact figure
could not be ascertained.
"The state government is monitoring the exact figure laid-off in the state
and is waiting for further reports from the Labour Department. Although the
number laid-off last month is not high, still we are prepared to face a worse
scenario," he said.
-- BERNAMA
He said there was a possibility that there were employers who had not
reported the actual number of workers losing jobs as they are only required to
inform the department of workers laid-off.
"The number may not include workers offered voluntary separation schemes
(VSS), contracted workers and workers involved in out-sourcing activities whose
contracts had been terminated," he said when contacted by Bernama here.
He said the number of workers offered VSS may be higher than the number
laid-off but the Labour Department may not be informed.
Besides that, he said the number of foreign workers sent back also could not
be ascertained if it involved illegals.
"There is a big possibility that the number given to Chief Minister, Lim
Guan Eng, by the department recently is based on the figures received by the
deparment," Veeriah said.
Last week, Lim said 1,313 workers in the state had been retrenched by 31
employers in January and of that number 791 were locals and 522 foreigners.
He said of the 791 locals, 263 had worked in Butterworth and 528 in
Georgetown.
He said last year 3,251 local workers and 81 foreighers were laid-off by 129
employers in the state and highest number of them were 1,766 working in
Butterworth.
According to Lim although the number retrenched last month was about a third
of those retrenched for all of last year the situation was under control.
Veeriah said workers in the small and medium industries (SMIs) were the
most affected as several multinational companies reduced staff or shut down
operations here but did not report.
He said many SMI factories were vendors or supplied services or components
for multinational companies (MNCs) and they were surely affected if the MNCs
reduced production or shifted elsewhere.
He said the move to transfer Intel workers in Bayan Lepas to the Kulim High
Technology Park on the grounds of company consolidation recently represented a
closure of the plant in Penang and till now it was not known how many workers
would want to move to Kulim.
"If they do not want to move far from their homes or for other reasons they
may have to quit," he said.
In that relation, he said Penang MTUC is compiling daily information to see
how far the uncertain world economy would affect workers in the state, adding
that an electronic factory in Bayan Lepas wanted to lay off between 400 and 500
workers soon.
Meanwehile, Chief Minister II, P.Ramasamy, admitted there were other
factories in the state who wanted reduce foreign workers but the exact figure
could not be ascertained.
"The state government is monitoring the exact figure laid-off in the state
and is waiting for further reports from the Labour Department. Although the
number laid-off last month is not high, still we are prepared to face a worse
scenario," he said.
-- BERNAMA
