Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) has defended its new productivity-linked overtime scheme for meter readers saying the scheme was fair and transparent, in line with government linked company (GLC) transformation initiatives promoted by the government.

In a statement today, TNB said the majority of meter readers have responded positively and have benefitted from the new incentive scheme implemented early this year, which is performance based.

The statement was in responce to a picket held by the TNB Junior Officer's Union yesterday, where they claimed the new scheme was unfair and did not have the consensus of the union.

Union president Hang Tuah Raja Iskandar said that the management should stick to the old agreement of overtime payment calculated hourly as there was no new collective agreement being signed.

Increasing productivity

TNB spokesperson Sidek Kamiso, when contacted, said that there are meter readers who can earn up to RM3,000 from such incentives alone every month under the new scheme and those opposing it may not understand what the management was doing.

"TNB has also spent RM20 million last year in replacing old hand-held computers used by meter readers. They complained of it being too heavy, and we responded by providing them lighter ones," he said.

Sidek added that in the past it would take 2-3 minutes to read one meter, but now with the new technology, it took less than 5 seconds.

"This has made it easier for meter readers to increase their productivity, and hence getting more incentives," he said.

TNB, according to Sidek, takes good care of its workers' welfare by offering health benefits for life and these benefits are enjoyed by a worker's spouse even after his or her death.