JB firm says pay dispute being resolved, workers claim otherwise

 About 50 migrant workers of Esstar Vision Sdn Bhd claim they have not been paid for eight months, but owners say the process is ongoing.

Workers protesting inside their dormitory say they will only return to work if all sums owed to them in backdated wages are paid to them in full. (Abdullah Almamun pic)

JOHOR BAHRU:

A dispute between migrant workers and an engineering firm here over five to eight months’ worth of unsettled wages is continuing despite several assurances given by the company’s owner and the human resources ministry.

The owners of Esstar Vision Sdn Bhd said the issue has been partially resolved, with efforts for a full settlement ongoing, but workers said the dispute remains unresolved, forcing them to depend on donors for food.

On Friday, some 50 workers staged a protest inside their dormitory, carrying banners that demand a quicker resolution to the issue.

Alamin Biswas, 32, told FMT that of the 80 workers involved, 21 returned to work after the management said they would be paid RM400 per week, with all arrears in wages to be settled later.

“There are about 50 of us who will only return to work if the management pays us all our backdated wages and proper salaries once we start work.

“The management has not been keeping its word even after the labour department and human resources ministry intervened,” he said.

Alamin, who is married and has two children in Bangladesh, said the other workers returned to their home country after their work permits expired. However, they lodged complaints with the labour department before returning home.

“Right now, we are surviving with help from the Bangladesh High Commission and other donors in terms of food. But we are unable to send money back to our families, who are struggling to repay debts incurred for our travel here,” he said.

When contacted, Esstar Vision spokesman Law Yuk Hui said the firm remains operational and has ongoing and upcoming projects.

“The company’s present focus is to resolve the employment matters through continuation of employment, ongoing discussions with the workers, and engagement with the relevant authorities in accordance with Malaysian law.

“We continue to offer work and immediate payment arrangements while discussions with the affected workers are ongoing. Our intention is to allow workers to continue employment while progressively addressing the outstanding salary matters,” he said.

He confirmed that “a number of workers” have yet to resume work despite the arrangements offered to them.

However, Law said complaints conveyed to FMT did not fully reflect the current situation.

Separately, Migrant Workers Network spokesman Abdullah Almamun said the NGO is raising funds to help the workers take legal action against the employer.

“We have to act as even a strong warning by human resources minister R Ramanan failed to resolve the matter. We need some serious action from the government,” he said. - FMT