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.

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 out 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.

Malaysiakini is trying to reach Edgenta UEMS for a response to the arrests.

[More to follow]  - Mkini