Reverse layoffs – Cuepacs
KOTA KINABALU: Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) president Datuk Azih Muda has urged the Malaysian Cocoa Board (LKM) to ‘by hook or by crook’ let the 281 temporary and part time employees continue their service in the government agency.
Azih, who described the layoff as the first in Malaysian civil service history, said 282 Malaysian Bumiputera men and women from Sabah (112), Sarawak (48) and Peninsular Malaysia (122) originally received a notice of termination dated July 10, 2017 each during the Raya month.
A worker from Sabah had found greener pastures and resigned, whilst another 94 from throughout Malaysia were offered a threemonth long temporary daily worker (PSH) contract that pays RM54 a day, effective August 14.
But the remainder, among them serving as long as 17 years and a few are pregnant women, will simultaneously be jobless effective August 13, this year.
“This drastic dismissal illustrates, either the Cocoa Board plantations will be closed, LKM is working to take in foreign workers or a privatization of the farms,” said Azih at a press conference here yesterday.
“We would like to ask whether LKM’s condition is picturing that our government is in critical condition, is it a reflection showing that the economic and financial conditions are bad?” he questioned, adding the workers were not let go because of performance or disciplinary issues.
The Cuepacs president hopes the government will take note of and evaluate the LKM leadership’s decisions in using their management prerogative.
In addition, he said Cuepacs will also arrange to meet Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek to seek his assistance in reinstating the workers, who held positions such as research assistants, general helpers and chocolate makers with PMR to degree qualifications.
“If the agriculture minister finds it hard to assist, we would like the Prime Minister to intervene and give some funds to LKM so they (temporary and part time workers) can continue to serve and provide the best productivity to the Cocoa Board and country,” pleaded Azih.
He also said if it is not possible for the workers to be reinstated into LKM, the government, authorized parties, Prime Minister, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister and state government would consider taking them under its wings.
“However, we are confident and optimistic that there is still space for them in LKM,” reaffirmed Azih.
He stated that Cuepacs will also keep track of the issue and development of LKM, which has 732 employees nationwide.
“We ask the government to look into it so this phenomenon does not happen again and we urge for them to be reinstated as workers in their previous status,” he reiterated.
“We ask for LKM’s consideration, through the intervention of the authorities, to retain the 281 employees so they can continue to serve in LKM. By hook or by crook, we want them to be given the space to work as they are not looking to rebel but only want to work,” said Azih.
Meanwhile, Cuepacs Sabah secretary said the LKM Director General could not attend the meeting with the employees prior to the press conference yesterday due to prior organized obligations.
He added that since the LKM Director General and Cuepacs President schedules are clashing, the organization decided to go ahead with the press conference to bring much needed attention to the welfare of the workers.