The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) is authorised to take whatever action deemed necessary to achieve its objectives and hence this Saturday's picket will carry on as planned, said its secretary-general G Rajasekaran today.

Rajasekaran was responding to a newspaper report today which quoted the Director-General of Trade Unions, Izhar Harun, as saying that MTUC cannot stage a nationwide picket at Employees Provident Fund (EPF) offices because it is registered under the Societies Act 1966 and is not a trade union.

"I see the statement by the director-general as an attempt to intimidate workers from attending the picket," said Rajasekaran.

Rajasekaran also rebuked Izhar for stating that MTUC is not a trade union yet and for using the Industrial Relations Act 1967 to justify his statement.

"Why is he quoting the Industrial Relations Act? We are not having an argument with an employer. EPF is not an employer," said Rajasekaran.

Izhar had said that under section 40 of the Act, a picket by an individual or more people was illegal if it was staged in various places although it was aimed at pursuing an industrial dispute.

"Yes, we are a society but our constitution which is registered lawfully states that MTUC is specifically allowed to take whatever actions it deems in furtherance of our objectives," said Rajasekaran.

Four points

He also stated that one of the specific objectives of MTUC is to safeguard social security of its affiliates.

"EPF is one such fund providing social security and when that fund is being used for privatisation and bailing out of companies, social security of workers under MTUC affiliates are threatened.

MTUC will not be doing what it has been registered to do if we do not take up the matter," said Rajasekaran.

MTUC decided to hold the nationwide picket at the EPF offices to push for four main points in a memorandum that it has submitted to EPF.

The four main issues are: the controversial annuity scheme which provides workers' pensions through private insurance companies;

-The reduction of death and incapacitation benefits for workers from RM30,000 to RM2,000;

-Maintaining employee contribution to EPF at 11 percent, necessitating the filling up of forms only when workers wish to contribute less; and

-A more accountable, responsible and transparent management of funds for investment within the EPF.