KUALA LUMPUR – School cleaners are barely able to make ends meet after contractors allegedly deducted their pay by 40% during the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown.
At an online meeting organised by the Government Contract Workers’ Network to discuss the issue, secretary Sivaranjani Manickam said all requests to speak to the relevant ministries and agencies have been ignored.
The Education and Human Resources Ministries, and National Security Council cannot keep silent while school cleaners struggle to survive, she said.
“The government needs to fully restore the salaries of B40 workers that have been cut to below the minimum wage, as well as raise the minimum wage itself.
“We have sent letters on this, and even tried to follow up with government agencies, but until now, we have not received a response from anyone.”
The network intends to file a case with the Labour Department on behalf of the affected workers, she said.
The Vibes previously reported on public school cleaners complaining that their wages will be cut.
This morning’s meeting saw school cleaners airing their frustration with the situation.
Moorthi Rajoo, a 47-year-old from Kedah, said he was already making minimum wage, and the pay cut has only deepened his family’s financial woes.
“After the 40% reduction, I have only around RM700 to RM800 per month. After paying rent, I am left with just RM300 to RM400.
“I have three children, and my wife does not work. How am I to pay for my children’s school needs? How am I to pay for food?”
Another worker, Ponmalar Mathukaryan, 49, said employers are also improperly reducing their annual leave.
“If we can’t work that day, and we give the contractors our MC, they won’t accept it. Instead, they will deduct our annual leave.
“And if we’re out of annual leave, they will deduct our pay. I don’t know what to do any more.”
Syed Haizal from Kuantan said most school cleaners were already living below the poverty line before the pandemic hit.
“How do you expect workers to survive each month? It was already hard getting a minimum wage.
This 40% deduction is totally unreasonable. It is in violation of our offer letters, which state our salaries as RM1,100. And, the government has said employers are not allowed to reduce workers’ salaries.”
Sivaranjani said school contract workers and guards should be considered frontliners and prioritised for vaccination just like teachers and other staff.
“The government personnel involved should ensure that the instructions (to schools) coming from above are clear and do not cause further confusion. The ones who fall victim to unclear and half-baked instructions are the school cleaners and those in tough situations.” – The Vibes, July 2, 2021
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