KUALA LUMPUR – The National Union of Workers in Hospital Support and Allied Services held a picket outside Seri Manjung Hospital in Perak today over a dispute between one of its cleaners and her employer UEM Edgenta Bhd.
According to the union, Tharani Kutty has been experiencing severe stress due to ongoing disputes between her and UEM Edgenta’s supervisory and management team.
The stress is so intense that it has resulted in Tharani feeling suicidal, said the union’s industrial relations officer Danaletchumi Langaswaranan.
Danaletchumi said that the Industrial Relations Department (JPP) had sent an officer to investigate the labour dispute on April 13 after complaints on the matter were made to them.
However, a day before that Tharani’s employers were informed about the department’s decision to investigate, she said.
“Only one day before the JPP officer’s investigation was due to take place, UEM Edgenta issued warning and counselling letters against Tharani,” she alleged.
“They even made her sign a blank piece of paper. What are they trying to do?” Danaletchumi claimed during a Facebook Live feed uploaded by the union.
It is understood that Tharani is currently under medical leave due to the stress.
Danaletchumi added that the intention of the picket was to demand a meeting between the union and UEM Edgenta.
Reacting to the picket, UEM Edgenta said in a statement that the company representatives were on-site to receive the group of picketers and a meeting was subsequently held between the management and union.
“For information, the allegations by the union against Edgenta UEMS were already a matter tabled to the Industrial Relations Department in Ipoh (“JPP Ipoh”) and Edgenta UEMS has provided full cooperation to JPP Ipoh to resolve the matter via the proper process.
“The company will also continue to provide its full cooperation to the authorities,” the statement read.
UEM Edgenta maintained that the company has always remained professional in dealing with the union.
In January, The Vibes reported an unpaid wages dispute between Tharani and UEM Edgenta.
Tharani won the case against the company, and the labour court ordered UEM Edgenta to pay her unpaid overtime wages from February to August last year.
Last month, UEM Edgenta filed an appeal against the decision. – The Vibes, April 22, 2021
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