GLC union seeks govt response to memorandum

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KUALA LUMPUR: The government has been urged to respond to a memorandum from the Congress of Trade Unions in Government-linked companies (GLCs) which was submitted on Jan 6, 2010.

Its president Mohammed Shafie Bp Mammal said the government should scrutinise the four suggestions in the memorandum and help find equitable solutions.

“The first suggestion is co-ordinating the compulsory retirement age for workers in GLC companies and also those privatised, to 60 years from 55 years,” he told reporters at a gathering of the congress’ members here yesterday.

The gathering was attended by 300 leaders from 60 trade unions and was jointly organised by the Congress of Trade Unions in Government-linked companies and the UNI Global Union – Malaysian Liaison Council (UNI-MLC).

Mohammed Shafie said, second, was the review of the formula for the payment of pension to government servants who joined privatised entities based on the last salary, a day before being privatised.

Other than that, Mohammed Shafie said the government also needed to review pensions to the widows of pensioners who married after the privatisation date.

“The widows who married after the date of privatisation were deemed as not qualified for pension. The same fate befell the heirs,” he said.

Thirdly, he said those within the companies should be given priority to fill vacant chief executive officers’ post in GLC companies and privatised entities.

“Do not deny the capabilities of figures in the companies and do not discriminate against them,” he said.

“The fourth suggestion is related to the third suggestion. Restructuring and changes are often undertaken in GLCs and privatised entities when a new chief executive is appointed and this weakens the moral of the workforce. — Bernama

Changes in a company needed to be minimised to avoid blurring the main agenda of the company which was to carry out competitive commerce, he added. — Bernama