Outsourcing - Caught in no-mans land

by  Fauwaz Abdul Aziz     Published 9 Jan 2007     Source : Malaysiakini

For five years, Ali had been toiling for his company. All of a sudden, the company told Ali that he was no longer needed.

Ali protested. Surely, he could not be sacked on the spot. His company said 'yes'. After all, he was not on the company's payroll. Unbeknown to him, the 'real' company which Ali had been working for all these years was a labour contractor. It was this labour contractor which is supplying workers like Ali to the company.

This is the new trend in outsourcing.

End to sweat-shop era?

by Fauwaz Abdul Aziz     Published 9 Jan 2007      Source : Malaysiakini

He is an auditor of the 'social' kind. While most auditors pore over accounts to ensure that companies remain profitable, Charles Santiago social audits the often unpleasant conditions of factories on behalf of workers.

His 'clients' are multinational corporations that range from coffee (and coffee-mug) producers and garments manufacturers to those producing high-technology components such as computer chips for automobiles and electronic goods.

Santiago, who is attached to an international non-profit organisation and who usually audits factories located in Southeast Asia, also checks factories that produce for the world's largest hypermarkets and stores.

FTA not quick-fix solution for NEP woes

by Fauwaz Abdul Aziz     Published 8 Jan 2007         Source : Malaysiakini

exclusive The US-Malaysia free trade agreement (FTA) will alter the economic and political fundamentals in Malaysia beyond the hopes of those seeking the dismantling of such pro-Malay policies as the National Economic Policy (NEP), warns an economist.

Director of Monitoring Sustainability of Globalisation Charles Santiago said Malaysians should discard the tempting illusion that the FTA will be a saviour of the non-Malay community, as the impact will be felt by all.

The government enters the fourth round of negotiations with the US Trade Representative today. Critics believe that the FTA will result in an increase in drug prices, job losses and the sidelining of local industries, among other problems .