Unions laud pay rise announcement

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Employees unions have reacted positively to the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi of an imminent salary increase for civil servants but said they hoped that the Government would stick to the Cuepacs’ recommendations on the quantum of increase.

Cuepacs had proposed in a memorandum handed over to the Government on Jan 11 that the Government make a salary revision of between 10% and 40% according to grade, with 40% for the lowest category of employees or Support Group II, 30% for Support Group I, 20% for the Management and Professional Group and 10% for the Premier Grade (Jusa).

Cuepacs president Omar Osman, who said he was convinced the Government would announce the salary increase this month, said he hoped that the Government, before making the announcement, would call it for discussions should drastic changes be made to its proposal.

Abdullah had said on Monday that the Government would raise the salaries of its estimated 1.2 million civil servants and that the disparity in the salaries of high and low-ranking employees would be taken into account in determining the pay increase formula.

The Cuepacs’ memorandum had demanded that the disparity in the salaries between the two groups of employees should not be too drastic, Omar said.

Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud said the MTUC welcomed the Prime Minister’s statement.

“We hope the coming announcement will reflect a salary increase that we can be proud of. If the Government fulfils the salary increase of between 10% and 40% sought by Cuepacs, it would have a positive impact not only on civil servants but also on their families,” he said.

“We hope the salary rise will help the low-income workers adjust to the cost of living and enable them invest for the future and meet emergency expenses such as medical fees,” he said.

National Union of Public Works and Water Works Employees secretary-general Muslim Ismail, in welcoming the Prime Minister’s announcement, said he hoped that the pay increase formula for the low-income group would be to their satisfaction. – Bernama