50,000 M`SIAN CIVIL SERVANTS EXPECTED TO BE RETRENCHED

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 (BERNAMA) -- About 50,000 contract employees in the
civil service are expected to be retrenched by the end of this year due to
budget constraints, according to the Congress of Union Employees in the Public
and Civil Service (Cuepacs).

But Cuepacs is not buying the lame excuse because the government could well
afford to retain the services of these employees, its president, Omar Osman,
told Bernama Thursday.

He said Cuepacs had sent an urgent appeal to the Public Service Department
(PSD) to help retain these staff, most of whom had served between five and 10
years and some have even served for 20 years.

These workers who were on a year-to-year contract spread among all
departments and ministries nationwide did not enjoy the perks of permanent staff
and yet performed the same tasks, he said.


Cuepacs had suggested that the PSD either redeploy these staff or absorb
them into the permanent establishment.

Omar said Cuepacs officials would go round the country to assist
these workers. The first meeting would be Kota Baharu on Nov 6.

The Ccngress would also discuss this issue during its delegates conference
next month.

The PSD was not available for comment.

-- BERRNAMA