Five arrested for protest against union-busting outside Ipoh Hospital
Police have arrested the executive secretary of the National Union of Workers in Hospital Support and Allied Services (NUWHSAS) M Saraswathy and four others this afternoon for protesting against employer Edgenta UEMS outside the Ipoh Hospital.
The union represents members who work as cleaners in government hospitals in the northern states.
Police have arrested the executive secretary of the National Union of Workers in Hospital Support and Allied Services (NUWHSAS) M Saraswathy and four others this afternoon for protesting against employer Edgenta UEMS outside the Ipoh Hospital.
The union represents members who work as cleaners in government hospitals in the northern states.
Its members staged a protest against their employer, saying it was using union-busting tactics.
"In spite of the whole world thanking frontline workers for putting their lives at risk to fight Covid-19, this government-linked company Edgenta UEMS has gone on a spree of attacks against its workers and union members," said the union's Industrial Relations Officer V Selvam.
Aside from Saraswathy, those arrested include union officials L Danaletchumy and V Santhiran, as well as PSM members P Jothi and C Subramaniam @ Raja.
Selvam claimed that NUWHSAS members have been subjected to constant harassment, victimisation, and union-busting activities.
"Since early this year, union members, especially worksite committee members have been subjected to deliberate changing of their working hours and shifts unilaterally without prior consent from them.
"Workers active in the union have also been punished by arbitrarily transferring them to hospitals far away from their residences and union worksite committees have been forbidden to hold discussions with workers even during their legitimate break times," said Selvam.
Selvam also claimed that his union's workers have been denied proper PPE equipment when they clean Covid-19 wards and facilities, putting them at great risk of infection.
He said that there was an inadequate supply of facemasks and gloves and went on to allege that workers were denied the special government allowance of RM600 to frontline workers, having been paid a token one-off sum of RM300.
Malaysiakini is trying to reach Edgenta UEMS for a response to the arrests and the union's claims.
Meanwhile in an update, one of the five confirmed they were still being detained at the Ipoh district police headquarters as at 4pm.
They have been told that they will be investigated under Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing a public servant in discharge of his public functions as well as Section 269 of the Penal Code which covers unlawfully or negligently committing an act that is likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life.
There is now an additional act they are being investigated under - Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020, section 7(1).
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
This action cannot be undone.