EIS not enough, Nufam wants gov't-funded layoff benefits
While it welcomes the scheme, the National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (Nufam) believes that the Employment Insurance Scheme (EIS) recently mooted by the government is too little, too late.
"Until today thousands of workers who lost their jobs in the last several years could have benefitted from the scheme.
"We believe that the EIS scheme will not make any real impact on the workers," said the union in a statement.
While they do want to praise the announcement of the scheme, Nufam said that they want to see more serious efforts by the government to solve the woes faced by workers.
"We do not want some quarters to take the opportunity to launch the EIS, and yet leave larger problems faced by the workers unsolved."
Nufam said that to date thousands of workers who were retrenched remain unemployed for various reasons...
While it welcomes the scheme, the National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (Nufam) believes that the Employment Insurance Scheme (EIS) recently mooted by the government is too little, too late.
"Until today thousands of workers who lost their jobs in the last several years could have benefitted from the scheme.
"We believe that the EIS scheme will not make any real impact on the workers," said the union in a statement.
While they do want to praise the announcement of the scheme, Nufam said that they want to see more serious efforts by the government to solve the woes faced by workers.
"We do not want some quarters to take the opportunity to launch the EIS, and yet leave larger problems faced by the workers unsolved."
Nufam said that to date thousands of workers who were retrenched remain unemployed for various reasons.
Furthermore many workers continue to struggle with the rising cost of living, women workers still struggle with rights in the workplace, and the industrial court continue to set only a maximum of 24 month-pay limit to compensation for retrenched workers.
"We do not want those issues to be forgotten just because the EIS was launched. Many are asking if the scheme is just part of the chess game for GE14," said Nufam.
Indeed it said that many workers see the EIS as an additional burden after already paying EPF and Socso deductions and hopes that there will be no more such schemes that will only cause them more hardship.
Nufam suggested that the government must foot the bill for unemployment benefits, citing examples overseas where such expenditures are allocated for in the budget.
"Instead, money must be allocated each year to help alleviate the woes of retrenched workers.
"The government must also fund a welfare cooperative, specially for retrenched workers.
Nufam said that the cooperative can be a place for retrenched workers to purchase daily goods at a discounted price to ease their survival. It can also be opened to the unemployed and those who have already retired.
"These are the hope of the workers in the country and may the present government help to give such aid so as to ensure the future of workers," concluded the union.
