WORKERS IN DANGER OF LOSING JOBS

PORT KLANG (Malaysia), Aug 5 (Bernama) -- More than 1,000 local workers
here, are in danger of losing their jobs because of the intense competition from
cheap foreign labour.

Companies providing ancilliary services to the shipping industry are
allegedly under-cutting each other by charging rates lower than the agreed
quantum.

Some of them were able to do this by employing cheap foreign labour,
according to the Union of Employees of Port Ancilliary Services (UNIPASS)
secretary A. Balasubramaniam here Wednesday.

He said this unhealthy competition would "in the long run, contribute to the
deterioration of services at the port." Port Klang is a town and main gateway by
sea into Malaysia.

Balasubramaniam, who is also Malaysian Trades Union Congress vice-president,
called on the Port Klang Authority which was the licensing body, to ensure
companies carried out their businesses in a responsible manner, without
endangering the livelihood of the workers and the reputation of the port.
-- BERNAMA