Human Resource Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn today announced that his ministry may incorporate the code of practice on sexual harassment into collective agreements between employees and employers.

"We would like the code of practice to have more persuasive powers and to be more widely adopted," Fong said in a press conference in Putrajaya today.

"Putting in the code into the collective agreements will give also give employees a mechanism to fall back on," he added.

The code, known formally as the Code of Practice on the Prevention and Eradication of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, was introduced by the Human Resources Ministry in August 1999.

When queried by reporters on the response of employers to the code, Fong said that it was "not encouraging".

"However, if companies were to adopt the code of practice, it would be good for the image of the company and they would be able to attract good and productive workers," Fong said.

Lacking teeth

The code of practice has often been criticised as lacking teeth.

In an immediate reaction Malaysian Trades Union Congress secretary-general G Rajasekaran lauded Fong's move but added that more could be done.

"In terms of collective agreements, the process is still voluntary because the employer could actually refuse to incorporate that into the agreement itself. Both parties would have to agree to it," Rajasekaran told malaysiakini .

He then suggested that the ministry, in order to make the code effective, should include provisions against sexual harassment in the Employment Act.

"The ministry has the power to change the Employment Act, which will give it the force of law.

"Even when it comes to collective agreement only 10 percent of the workforce is [unionised] to have access to such agreements," Rajasekaran said.

EPF strike

Meanwhile, Fong said his officers would be looking into the grouses of Employees Provident Fund (EPF) staff who have threatened to go on strike this week.

"It could just be an administrative problem. There is no need to strike but I will definitely ask my officers to look into it," Fong said.

In a Monday Bernama report, the EPF Union complained of 'anomalies' in the Year 2000 salary adjustment for grade 18 and 20 employees who are diploma holders.