Hospital Cleaners Protest In Front Of Health Ministry Hq

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Hundreds of hospital cleaners today staged a protest in front of the Health Ministry headquarters in Putrajaya after claiming they had been intimidated by the new subcontractor taking over cleaning contracts
Organised by PSM, the protest was joined by cleaners from 22 hospitals in Perak and Penang around noon today.

According to the PSM website, a union protecting the workers will be considered void after the new subcontractor takes over the maintenance contract next month
PSM claimed that the new subcontractor had told the workers that their union will be useless and automatically disbanded after it takes over the contract.

The current subscontractor, NS Medik Sdn Bhd, which has been in operation for 10 years, is said to have handed over the subcontract to one of its sister companies.

When contacted, PSM deputy chairperson M Sarasvathy said the workers, of which many have served the company for 20 years, have been given a new employment form.

"They were told to fill up the employment form, otherwise they will not have a job come January.

"The new company wants to absorb them as new workers. That means their benefits, which they have enjoyed for years, will be reduced.

"They are not sure whether they will get a job (under the new company). After filling up the form, they have to go for an interview. The company will select the workers, and those selected will be given a probation period of three months.

"You have been working for 20 years, and now you have to go through probation again," she told Malaysiakini, adding that 2,000 workers are at risk.

Sarasvathy said the union had filed a complaint to the Department of Industrial Relations.

According to the PSM website, the memorandum of understanding was signed on Nov 6 to protect the union's rights, but the intimidation purportedly continued.

During the protest, PSM submitted a memorandum to the Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad to look into the matter.

The party deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan and secretary-general A Sivarajan were also present at the protest. - Mkini

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