KUALA LUMPUR – Following a peaceful picket held by Bahagia Ulu Kinta Hospital’s (HBUK) cleaners, UEM Edgenta, the parent company of their employers Edgenta UEMS, stated that the welfare of their employees is of the utmost concern and importance to them.
In a statement this evening, the government-linked subcontractor said it has been listening to the issues voiced by its employees and progressively implementing quality of life improvements throughout their operations.
Therefore, they said, they regret that such allegations of unfair recognition regarding remuneration and rewarding of their employees were made.
“To date, the company has been engaging with the union (National Union of Workers in Hospital Support and Allied Services) and its affiliates in a professional and courteous manner.
“In line with industry practices and as a fair and just employer, any remuneration and rewarding decisions or performance-based incentives which may include bonuses, salary increments, or other rewards are solely based on the employee’s performance, merit, and business needs, which comply with Malaysian labour law practices across all of UEM Edgenta’s operations.
“Hence, we would like to reassure the public that we will continue to ensure no service disruption happens at all hospitals under the company’s care,” they said.
Earlier, the hospital cleaners based in Perak made 11 demands to their employers in a bid to claim their rights.
A total of 40 HBUK cleaners participated in a peaceful picket that kicked off at approximately 3.30pm today, calling on their employers to come up with solutions to their demands, with a one-week deadline to do so.
The union’s executive secretary M. Sarasvathy alleged that the employers practised favouritism in salary increment to staffers.
The picketers had made multiple demands including an annual bonus, laundry and shift allowances, increased annual leave, 15 days of public holidays, and medical benefits of RM1,000.
The group also pressed their new employers to allocate sufficient uniforms (three sets of uniform with two T-shirts), not force them to work in two to three different locations, and to give special allowances for workers in Covid-19 wards.
Another point of grief raised by Sarasvathy was her allegation against UEM supervisors who played favourites, with those earning their favour being able to get overtime and some form of consolation.
UEM Edgenta said they also prohibit any form of discrimination, harassment, or unethical practices towards its employees and abides by the mandatory requirements of the Employment Act 1955.
“UEM Edgenta continues to uphold a strict code of conduct, which emphasises and prioritises employee well-being, operational safety, and respect.
“The company has also released numerous statements on the matter prior to this, providing clarity on misleading allegations by the union, which can be viewed on our website,” they explained.
Based on previous correspondences communicated via their internal and external channels, UEM Edgenta said several avenues have been made available to the employees in the company’s hospital support services (HSS) business.
“This includes ‘PrihatinLine’, an online platform that enables employees to communicate directly with Edgenta UEMS’ management and raise an internal issue, problems, or grievances through the right platform.
“We have also made our whistleblowing channel available for employees who wish to report possible misconduct at the workplace,” they said.
They added that their HSS employees are dedicated frontliners in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, and it is imperative to provide the true and correct narrative amidst these challenging times.
“As a responsible public-listed company, UEM Edgenta is determined to ensure that we continuously engage with our key stakeholders relating to matters which impact the company’s brand and reputation.
“Let us continue to work together towards protecting the well-being and welfare of our frontliners who have worked very hard to ensure that our nation’s healthcare system always remains functioning for the benefit of the people.”
Edgenta UEMS is a subsidiary company to UEM Edgenta, which is owned by the government’s sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd. – The Vibes, September 17, 2021
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