There may be light at the end of the tunnel for exhausted hospital cleaners who have been fighting for their rights, following a meeting with Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin today.
The meeting, at the Health Ministry building in Putrajaya, was between the minister and a six-motorcycle convoy of mainly female workers from the National Union of Workers in Hospital Support and Allied Services (NUWHSAS).
The group's demands include abolishing the contract worker system, providing Covid-19 allowances to all government hospital staff, and halting intimidation of members involved in worker unions.
“We have been more spirited with our plight. Khairy accepted us with open arms.
“I am proud and happy we made it to the Health Ministry in Putrajaya,” said union president Roziah Mohd Hashim.
Around 30 union members were present at the meeting with Khairy to hand over their memorandum.
Khairy said the government will take a comprehensive look at the demands of the workers, who have been a huge help in the pandemic fight.
“I have informed Roziah that even though they are workers under concession companies, those companies receive concession from the Health Ministry.
“The demands that were raised earlier will be looked into comprehensively. I will have meetings with the concession companies to have a deeper understanding on the issues that were raised. I give my commitment to Roziah and company as frontliners.
“Hospital support staff have helped us a lot during the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. We should not look lightly at their plight,” he said during a presser outside the Health Ministry.
The union said they previously sent five memorandums to the Health Ministry since 2015 and met with former health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad but no action was taken.
Motorcycle convoy
The cleaners began their motorcycle convoy in Penang on Feb 5. On their journey, they visited about 20 hospitals including Hospital Bukit Mertajam, Hospital Seberang Jaya, and Hospital Tapah.
Their last stop was at Hospital Putrajaya before heading to the Health Ministry.
Union members said it was not an easy journey. They lamented that nearly all hospitals they visited barred them from entering the premises, forcing them to take pictures outside.
“Most hospitals did not welcome us. Some of them had guards preventing us from entering the hospital. They prevented us from even using the toilet,” Roziah said.
They claimed workers within those hospitals were also warned by their supervisors prior to their arrival, however some brave workers came out to give their support.
Roziah previously said the aim of the convoy was to collect complaint letters from unhappy hospital staff.
She said union members will ride motorcycles to signify their income level as it is difficult for these workers to obtain car loans, adding that 80 percent of government hospital cleaners go to work on motorcycles.
They also previously raised funds for the convoy which paid for their expenses throughout the trip, including accommodation.
NUWHSAS executive secretary M Saraswathy said if their demands were not met, they will come back to the ministry with more workers. - Mkini
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