The 1500-strong Union of Forestry Workers Sarawak (UFES) has vowed to continue picketing until their terms and conditions are met and all members properly emplaced following what they describe as the privatisation of most functions of the Forestry Department.

UFES secretary Mohd Ali Yakub today claimed that the privatisation process does not follow the procedures and guidelines as laid down by the Public Services Department.

"Workers' representatives must be called to discuss workers' terms and conditions of service and proper agreements must be drawn up," he said. in an interview with malaysiakini

Unfortunately, he added, this was never done. Instead, the workers were told to accept only what they had drawn up on their own without the participation of the union.

Mohd Ali charged that certain officers in the department were only looking after their own interests.

Letters ignored

He said the union had written many times to the State government since the Sarawak Forestry Corporation Ordinance was passed by the State Legislative Assembly more than five years ago.

"But our letters have been largely ignored," he added.

Under the ordinance, a new body called the Sarawak Forestry Corporation has been incorporated with Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud who is also directly responsible for forestry matters in Sarawak as its chairperson.

Another body called Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn Bhd or SFC Corporation has also been established with the State Secretary Aziz Hussein, who is also a brother-in-law of Taib, as chairperson. The managing director is the Sarawak Forestry director Cheong Ek Choon.

Most of the functions including enforcement of the Forestry Department are being transferred to this company.

Little choice

Mohd Ali said he had been informed that about 150 contract employees had accepted the terms and conditions offered by the SFC Sdn Bhd.

"Most of these people are on contract and have been pressured to accept the offer," he claimed. "They've little choice, really."

There are about 600 contract staff in the department out of a total of 2000 employees. Most of them are low-level officers who are brought in largely on the recommendation of the International Timber Trade Organisation (ITTO) for the department to fulfil certain conditions with regards to forest management and conservation.

The contract staff are mainly employed in enforcement, in the national parks, research work and as forest guards.

Mohd Ali said he and union officials were facing a daunting task in trying to get the authorities to listen and accommodate their members so that they would not suffer in any way as a result of the privatisation move.

Interrogated

"My chairperson and I have been interrogated by various parties," he said, without elaborating on by who, except to add that they were surprised it had to come to the stage where they were being called in and asked about their actions, including the picketing.

Yesterday, a group of 50 union members picketed in Kapit when Taib arrived there to officiate at an official function.

Mohd Ali said he felt that the chief minister was the only person who could help resolve the problems. "He is not only the chairperson of SFC but also the leader of the Sarawak government."

He added that the union would continue with their pickets throughout Sarawak until they were given a proper hearing and that proper terms and conditions were drawn up to accommodate members affected by the privatisation of the many functions of the Forestry Department.