Apa itu Kerja Wajar?

Apa itu kerja wajar (decent work)?

Konsep kerja wajar diperkenalkan oleh Pertubuhan Buruh Antarabangsa (ILO) pada tahun 1999, tujuannya ialah melindungi hak pekerja dalam zaman globalisasi.

Menurut ILO, "dasar-dasar liberalisasi ekonomi telah menukarkan hubungan antara kerajaan, buruh dan perniagaan. Pengeluaran ekonomi sekarang lebih dipengaruhi oleh daya pasaran daripada pengantaraan pihak berkepentingan, norma-norma undang atau campur tangan kerajaan...menghasilkan risiko dan faedah yang tidak seimbang di antara kapital dan buruh...perubahan dalam corak pekerjaan, pasaran buruh dan perhubungan buruh mempunyai impak besar terutamanya terhadap kesatuan sekerja dan pertubuhan majikan."

"Globalisasi telah membawa kemakmuran dan ketidaksamarataan, ia menguji sempadan tanggungjawab sosial secara koletif."

Oleh itu, ILO telah menetapkan matlamat utama konsep wajar sebagai mempromosikan peluang untuk wanita dan lelaki untuk mendapat kerja yang wajar dan produktif, dengan prinsip-prinsip kebebasan, ekuiti, keselamatan dan maruah manusia.

4 objektif strategik kerja wajar ialah hak dalam pekerjaan, mempromosikan pekerjaan, perlindungan sosial dan dialog sosial.

Kerja wajar adalah penting untuk melindungi hak asasi manusia pekerja, seperti kebebasan berpersatuan, berunding dengan majikan secara koletif dan dilindungi oleh sistem kebajikan negara bila sakit, mengganggur atau menemui kemalangan.

Decent Work Campaign

This is a facebook page set up by Decent Work Working Group (DWWG) to promote a decent work agenda for all Malaysian Workers. DWWG advocates for protection of workers' freedom of association, right to collective bargaining, a satisfactory social protection system and a good job including a living wage.

The DWWG is currently studying the labour law reform. We have organised few rounds of consultation meetings with trade unions, migrant worker organisation, NGO activists and politicians to solicit their inputs.

The DWWG is consist of leading trade unionists, migrant worker organisation leaders and NGO activists.

Decent Work Agenda Proposal

Since formation of the Decent Work Working Group in June 2018, the group has produced a draft Decent Work Agenda Proposal with total 132 recommendations to restore workers' rights at work, collective bargaining power, as well as on social protection system and promoting employments.

The group has held two rounds of consultation on 4 September 2018 and 7 October 2018. The response is overwhelming, we received plenty of good suggestions for changes. The participation of migrant workers, refugees and foreign spouses gave valuable inputs to the draft proposal.

Nevertheless, the consultation process is still on going. You are welcome to download the Decent Work Agenda Proposal at the following link and send your feedback to msglobalisation@gmail.com

DECENT WORK AGENDA PROPOSAL

Malaysian unions demand meaningful labour law reform

Media Release by Decent Work Working Group at Summit Hotel, Subang Jaya

7 October 2018

Today in Subang Jaya around 80 trade union and civil society representatives have held a consultation meeting to advance meaningful proposals to reform Malaysia’s outdated labour laws. The proposals were put together in line with the ILO’s decent work framework, and are the result of an ongoing process of consultation with workers and unions.

“With the sorry state of unionisation at 8% and the government's hands-off response to employers' union busting activities, unorganised workers fall prey to the capitalist system”, said Bruno Pereira, the General Secretary of Electronic Industry Employees Union Western Region. “The new government must address the asymmetric power between capital owners and workers by removing provisions of Trade Union Act that restrict workers from forming trade unions and bargaining collective agreements.”

Discussion amongst participants highlighted the fact that provisions covering union recognition in the Industrial Relations Act allow employers to evade collective bargaining. The provisions must be replaced with an automatic recognition upon registration with the Ministry of Human Resources.

[Gallery] Seminar on World Day for Decent Work

In conjunction with World Day for Decent Work, the Decent Work Working Group (including MSN) organised a one-day Seminar on World Day for Decent Work at Summit Hotel on 7th October 2018.

The seminar was attended by 80 trade unionists, migrant worker and refugee organisation representatives, academics and a SUHAKAM commissioner.

In the opening remark, Member of Parliament Klang YB Charles Santiago warned that a society would face severe inequality if the government did not address the problem of asymmetric power between employers and workers. A decent living wage can only be attained if trade unions were united and have collective bargaining power.

The seminar was divided into 3 panel discussions - 1) Rights at work, 2) Social dialogue and social protection, 3) Future of work. Trade union leaders Gopal Krishnam, Bruno Pereira, Engrit Liaw, Ikmal Azam Tanaraj; migrant worker organisation leaders Adrian Pereira, Liezl Galdo; Grab food driver representative Mohd. Zamir; Academic Prof. Rajah Rasiah were among the panel speakers.

The participants released a joint statement to demand comprehensive labour law reforms.

Protect Workers’ Right to Just and Favourable Remuneration

Joint Press Statement by 33 Civil Society Organisations on 14 September 2018

We, the undersigned civil society organisations, urge the Pakatan Harapan Government to review its decision fixing the new minimum wage at RM1,050, and to protect workers’ right to just and favourable remuneration.

“The Prime Minister’s argument that the Government cannot afford a higher minimum wage because it has debts to pay, but the vast majority of workers on minimum wage are in the private sector” said Aegile Fernandez of Tenaganita.

“At the moment low wages are effectively subsidizing the success of companies operating in Malaysia”, she continued. “After the election Malaysian citizens were asked to reach into their pockets to address the country’s debt crisis. It is alarming that the Prime Minister is not willing to ask the Malaysian businesses that employ minimum wages to reach into their pockets and address the wages crisis.”

Unions appalled at meaningless minimum wage increase

Press Statement by 10 Malaysian Trade Unions on 7 September 2018

Ten unions from across Malaysia were appalled at the Prime Minister’s Department 5 September announcement that the minimum wage would be increased to a mere RM 1050 on 1 January 2019, saying that the proposal fails to allow workers to live a life of dignity.

“The Pakatan Harapan manifesto gave many workers hope that a RM 1,500 minimum wage might be a reality soon”, said N Gopal Kishnam, Secretary-General of the National Union of Transport Equipment and Allied Industries Workers. “Considering the already stagnant state of working class wages against the rising costs of living, RM 50 a month is utterly meaningless.”

Earlier this year Bank Negara outlined that the estimated cost of living for a single worker in Kuala Lumpur was RM 2,700, and for a couple with two children it is RM 6,500.

Consultation Meeting on Decent Work Agenda Proposal

Member of Parliament Klang YB Charles Santiago and the Decent Work Agenda Working Group (Where Monitoring Sustainability of Globalisation is part of it) jointly organised a consultation meeting on decent work agenda proposal on 4 September 2018 at Shah's Village Hotel.

22 trade unionists, worker organisation representatives participated in the morning session consultation meeting, while 25 migrant worker organisations and NGO activists joined the afternoon session consultation meeting.

The purpose of the consultation meeting is to engage civil society in contributing ideas and opinions on the draft decent work agenda proposal as an effort to strengthen labour movement and migrant workers' position in Malaysia.

Say No to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership

Press Statement by Members of TPPA Caucus at Parliament on 16 August 2018

It’s nothing but a rebranding exercise.

But the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) doesn’t add any benefits to the poor, terminally-ill, women or even governments.

Rising from the ashes of the Transpacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), which was tanked by US President Donald Trump, the new trade deal will instead have serious implications on Malaysia.

And this is why the Pakatan Harapan government needs to withdraw from ratifying the CPTPP.

What is Decent Work Agenda?

(Source : ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization, 2008)

The four objectives of Decent Work Agenda is expressed and which can be summarized as follows:

(i) Promoting employment by creating a sustainable institutional and economic environment in which:

      – individuals can develop and update the necessary capacities and skills they need to enable them to be productively occupied for their personal fulfilment and the common well-being;

      – all enterprises, public or private, are sustainable to enable growth and the generation of greater employment and income opportunities and prospects for all; and

      – societies can achieve their goals of economic development, good living standards and social progress;

Santiago calls for review of medicine tender system

Source : Free Malaysia Today

Robin Augustin | June 14, 2018

PETALING JAYA: The government must investigate “bombshell” revelations about the supply of medical drugs in the national health system, and review the procurement process, says Charles Santiago of DAP, who is incoming MP for Klang.

He said the government must investigate allegations that companies linked to politicians close to the previous government had control over the supply of billions of ringgit worth of medical drugs.

Santiago, who has been vocal on the issue of high prices of medicines, said the procurement process must be reviewed if investigations proved the accuracy of yesterday’s FMT expose.

New TPP: What’s in it for us, DAP asks

Source : Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: DAP’s Charles Santiago has urged the government to come out with a new cost-benefit analysis to explain what is at stake for Malaysia if it proceeds with the trade pact that could replace the original 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

The Klang MP said it was important for the government to give a clear picture of how the so-called TPP11 could impact Malaysia’s growth and if it would benefit businesses in the country.

The TPP11 involves all the countries which were part of the original trade pact, minus the US which pulled out after President Donald Trump took office a year ago.