MORE THAN 30 WORKERS AT GUPPY GET THE SACK !

Cheras Jaya, 29^th. June 2001

More than 30 workers who are above the age of fifty got a rude shock when their employer; Guppy Plastic Industries Sdn. Bhd. gave them a 24 hours termination notice. The notice was handed to them by the Human Resource Manager, Mr. Sivananthan who also gave each worker some money which he claimed as gratitude allowance.

By the way, the workers who had been working there, some of them for more than twenty years did not feel much gratitude about this whole incident. Most of them were furious and have seen the notice as a declaration of war by the employer.

What was even more annoying was the workers were also told to come back to work on the 9^th. July as they will be then offered a contract job. Union chairperson, Comrade Koyilvani said this is the employer's dirty tactics to make them contract workers. She said that the union would consider this an unlawful dismissal and take up the issue. By offering them contract job, it is also clear that the company is not facing any financial crisis but rather is a move to further maximize profit at the expense of the workers welfare.

Comrade Letchimi Dewi, Community Development Centre (CDC) coordinator met several affected workers at the movement office at Kajang. She said that the fifty years retirement age was below the normal standard and in this case, the employer has a different retirement age for men and women workers. This she said the is a gross violation to Article 8 of the Federal Constitution which says that everyone is equal.

Some workers attribute the companies action is to have young workers who can work like machines so that the company can maintain its ISO standards. The Union is not surprised with the company's attitude. The Employers have a very bad Industrial record as they have not yet recognized the union and have sacked the three principal office bearers of the union.

       

As an immediate action, the union will be submitting a protest letter asking the employer to reinstate all the workers. Failing which, the union along with the workers will be planning more drastic actions. Workers who are not affected by this action are also very annoyed with this move and have agreed to stand by their sacked comrades to seek justice.

S. Arutchelvan