Liow tells workers to improve

KUALA LUMPUR: Employees should up-skill themselves to improve productivity and for unions to work closely with employers on any issues.
"Now, at least a wage earner would need to earn RM2,300 to RM2,500 to live comfortably in the city. But we need to go back to the basics. Productivity needs to increase to see a hike in earning potential. Unions need to work with the employers to increase productivity and earning potential," Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai told the media at the Labour Day celebration held by UNI-Malaysia Labour Centre here today.
At the event, Liow presented awards to 12 notable leaders of unions in Malaysia for their contributions to labour activities.
Meanwhile, the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) said 60% or 960,000 out of 1.6 million civil servants in the country have yet to own a home.
Cuepacs president, Datuk Azih Muda said of the total, 75% were those aged 40 years and below.
As such, he said in conjunction with Labour Day today, Cuepacs called on the government to give extra attention to home ownership issue among the civil servants.
"The government must also play a role in controlling house prices and building more affordable homes.
"Without the intervention of the government in fixing the price of houses, civil servants will remain unable to have a house of their own," he told a press conference after the launch of Cuepacs' Labour Day celebration by Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor here today.
The celebration themed 'Workers Are Pillars of National Prosperity', was also attended by Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Mohamad Zabidi Zainal and 1,000 civil servants from various departments and agencies.