‘STUDY NEEDED TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY’
Call to review structure of employee benefits amid rising cost of living
THE government should undertake a comprehensive study on the labour market to review the current structure of employee benefits amid the rising cost of living and Covid-19 impacts.
In making the call, Uni Malaysia Labour Centre general council member J. Solomon said trade unions should represent the workers in the same way even after the pandemic.
“Their main role is to safeguard members’ interests. That should continue to be a priority,” he said during a Money Matters episode on “The post-Covid-19 recovery: Transforming the workforce for a new world” aired on TV3 on Saturday.
Solomon said the study would be necessary to drive Malaysia’s labour output as its productivity index had fallen to 5.4 per cent last year.
It was the first-ever contraction recorded since the 2009 global financial crisis as the pandemic had impacted economic activities, according to the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC).
The MPC said labour productivity was likely to rebound this year following last year’s steep decline.
Solomon said the country’s political stability and the pandemic situation could play a role in enhancing productivity.
He urged trade union leaders to keep abreast of the latest developments
and new policies or guidelines disseminated by the International Labour Organisation.
He said the new developments could be applied in Malaysia.
“This is a golden opportunity for the workers and their representatives as it is a period where employers are sincerely concerned about employees’ health and safety.”
He said some employers were reluctant to train their workers due to labour shortages
and the fact that the employees must be paid the minimum wage during their training period.
Solomon said it was vital for the government to be neutral towards the workforce and business community. He said many people would lose their jobs if too much emphasis was given to corporate survival.
Meanwhile, Sunway University Business School economics Professor Dr Yeah Kim Leng said equipping the workforce with the right skills, knowledge and entrepreneurial
spirit should be a priority to ensure competitiveness in line with the rapidly evolving advancement of global economies.
“Incentivising industries and businesses to move up the value chain and engage in continuous technological upgrading, accelerating productivity and efficiency at all levels of society would allow Malaysia to weather the challenges brought upon by the crisis,” he told the New Straits