Will MTUC be alone in their nationwide protest on November 3?

MTUC is going to have a nation-wide picket on 3/11/2011 - but there is little information being circulated for many may want to join MTUC to protest changes being proposed to the Employment Act...Malaysia wants to make labour suppliers employers - and free owner-operators of factories, plantations and other workplaces (the principal or end-user) from the obligations and duties of being an employer....

It may have been passed at the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) but to become law, it needs to be passed by Senate which will sit in December, and thereafter get Royal Assent before it becomes law - The BN thus can withdraw these proposed amendments at any time before it becomes law...

MTUC should not stand alone in this protest - but should also include all workers (and future workers) many of whom are not members of trade unions. Political parties and civil society organizations should also get involved if they really care for worker and trade union rights... and, I believe, we may be heading for yet another big protest similar to what was done for free and fair elections. Malaysian government just have not listened to MTUC  - and theyneed evidence that the support for the removal of these proposed amendments comes from many persons...and sectors of the Malaysian and...global community... (This is not just a Malaysian issue - as it involves workers also from many countries, and employers from also many different countries who supply consumers all over the world...)

NOV 3 is fast approaching and MTUC must start lobbying for massive support - and really must get most of its 800,000 members out. How can we all who support MTUC do - maybe some badges, T-shirts, etc - black arm-band only may not be enough to attract attention of this BN government...

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) will wear black armband during its nationwide picket on Nov 3 to protest the amendments to the Employment Act, which was passed in Dewan Rakyat last week.

Union members would be wearing black armband at the protest, which was scheduled to take place from 5pm to 6.30pm, as a way to “mourn” over the issue, MTUC general secretary Abdul Halim Mansor.

He said the protest was to express their dissatisfaction with the Human Resources Ministry's move to table the amendments despite a request by MTUC for a postponement.

“We want to send a message that the MTUC is not happy with the ministry's decision,” he said when contacted Tuesday.

He said MTUC would also write to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on their reasons for objecting to the amendments and seek their intervention.

Among others, MTUC had objected to the amendments which would allow for the use of labour outsourcing companies.

The amendments would also mean that employers were allowed to delay overtime payments to their workers by a month.

Abdul Halim also said that the amendments had not provided adequate protection for women who are required to work after 10pm.

The MTUC staged a protest outside Parliament House on Oct 3 when the amendments were tabled. However, the amendments were eventually passed by Dewan Rakyat after a five-hour debate.- Star, 11/10/2011,MTUC nationwide picket on Nov 3