Pekerja Atlas Edible Ais Mengadu Majikan Tak Buat Caruman KWSP untuk 'Komisyen'?

JUTAAN RINGGIT SENGAJA DILESAPKAN DARIPADA AKAUN KWSP PEKERJA AKIBAT MAJIKAN TIDAK MENCARUM KWSP KE ATAS KOMISEN LEBIH 20 TAHUN

PROTES DAN ADUAN TERHADAP KWSP OLEH PEKERJA ATLAS AIS TERHADAP ISU PENYELEWENGAN MAJIKAN ATLAS EDIBLE ICE SDN BHD DALAM PENCARUMAN KWSP UNTUK KOMISEN DAN KOMPLOT PEGAWAI KWSP DENGAN MAJIKAN DALAM ISU INI

Solidariti pekerja mengutuk penyelewangan ini dan memberikan sokongan ke atas tuntutan pekerja. Hampir 100 pekerja daripada Atlas Edible Ice Sdn Bhd daripada cawangan Kepong dan Batu Caves hadir untuk memprotes terhadap komplot majikan dan pegawai KWSP dan menuntut siasatan adil dan telus daripada pihak KWSP.

Bayaran Yang Wajib Bagi Caruman KWSP (dari Laman KWSP)
Secara dasarnya, semua bayaran yang merupakan upah akan diambil kira dalam pengiraan jumlah caruman bulanan anda. Ini termasuk:

• Gaji
• Bayaran bagi cuti rehat tahunan dan cuti sakit yang tidak digunakan
• Bonus
• Elaun
• Komisen
• Insentif
• Tunggakan upah
• Upah bagi cuti bersalin
• Upah bagi cuti belajar
• Upah bagi cuti separuh gaji
• Bayaran-bayaran lain di bawah kontrak perkhidmatan atau sebaliknya.

Berasaskan maklumat daripada Laman Web Rasmi KWSP, Majikan perlu membuat caruman untuk komisyen yan g dibayar kepada pekerja. Jika guna perkataan 'Profit Sharing' pun, terpaksa membuat caruman KWSP. 

Ingat jika majikan gagal berbuat demikian 

Kandungan surat yang dihantar oleh pekerja adalah seperti berikut:

Pekerja ATLAS Edible Ais (Cawangan Kepong dan Batu Caves),
Lot 155-158, Jalan Sri Ehsan 7,
Taman Sri Ehsan, Kepong,
52100, Kuala Lumpur.
 

2hb. Jun 2016
 

Kepada,

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif,
Bangunan KWSP, Jalan Raja Laut
50350 Kuala Lumpur

Tuan,

PEKERJA ATLAS EDIBLE AIS SDN BHD MENUNTUT SIASATAN DAN TINDAKAN PIHAK KWSP TERHADAP:

PENYELEWENGAN AKTA KWSP DAN KOMPLOT DENGAN MAJIKAN OLEH V.KANAGASOTHY (PENGURUS, JABATAN PENGUATKUASAAN, KWSP JALAN RAJA LAUT)

PENIPUAN DAN PEMALSUAN CARUMAN KWSP KE ATAS KOMISEN/INSENTIF OLEH MAJIKAN ATLAS EDIBLE AIS SDN BHD SELAMA LEBIH 20 TAHUN

Merujuk kepada perkara di atas, kami para pekerja Atlas Edible Ais Sdn. Bhd. ingin menuntut pihak KWSP membuat siasatan adil dan mengambil tindakan sewajarnya untuk menegakkan hak dan kebajikan pekerja. Atlas Ais Edible Sdn Bhd. (No. Pendaftaran: 198860) dianggarkan mempunyai 100 cawangan dan dalam 1000 pekerja di seluruh Malaysia yang merupakan antara pengeluar dan pemasar ‘Edible Ais’ terbesar di negara ini. 

Penjelasan dan hujah kami untuk siasatan dan tindakan KWSP adalah seperti berikut: 

Lebih 20 tahun majikan tidak mencarum untuk komisen/insentif

Para pekerja Atlas Edible Ais Sdn Bhd. terdiri daripada pemandu dan pembantu lori selain daripada pemproses ais. Pemandu dan pembantu lori yang memasarkan dan menghantar ais ke pelanggan akan memperoleh komisen berdasarkan kepada jumlah berat (dalam tan) jualan harian ais. Komisen di bayar secara bulanan berdasarkan jumlah tan keseluruhan jualan pada sesuatu bulan. 

Berdasarkan kepada seksyen 2 akta KWSP majikan wajib mencarum untuk komisen. Seksyen 2 Akta KWSP menetapkan bahawa “Semua saraan dalam bentuk wang yang kena dibayar kepada pekerja di bawah kontrak perkhidmatan atau perantisan sama ada ia dipersetujui untuk dibayar secara bulanan, mingguan, harian atau selainnya. Antara bayaran yang dikenakan caruman KWSP: Gaji , Bayaran bagi cuti rehat tahunan dan cuti sakit yang tidak digunakan, Bonus, Elaun, Komisen, Insentif, Tunggakan upah, Upah bagi cuti bersalin, Upah bagi cuti belajar, Upah bagi cuti separuh gaji dan bayaran-bayaran lain di bawah kontrak perkhidmatan atau sebaliknya. “ 

Tetapi, selama kami bekerja dengan Atlas Ais majikan tidak mencarum untuk komisen. Kami menjangkakan berjuta-juta ringgit yang sepatutnya berada di akaun-akaun KWSP warga pekerja Atlas seluruh Malaysia dengan sedar telah dilesapkan oleh majikan. 

Penukaran daripada terma ‘komisen/insentif’ kepada terma ‘profit sharing’

Sebelum 2006, majikan yang mencetak ‘Commision or Incentive’ dalam slip gaji telah sengaja menukar kepada ‘Profit Sharing’ tanpa pengetahuan pekerja untuk terus menyeleweng daripada tanggungjawab untuk mencarum kepada KWSP bagi bayaran komisen. Tetapi sifat kerja (nature of work) kami masih sama, dan majikan telah terus berurusan dengan kami sehingga kini dengan menggunakan terma komisen. Tindakan majikan ini dengan jelas menunjukkan bahawa satu penyelewengan telah dirancang dengan teliti untuk sekian lama.

Pembayaran secara tunai kepada pekerja cawangan Nilai untuk menutup isu komisen daripada tersebar ke cawangan-cawangan lain

Isu penyelewengan terhadap komisen oleh majikan telah dibangkitkan oleh pekerja Atlas cawangan Nilai pada tahun lalu, dan akibat desakan pekerja majikan telah mula mencarum untuk komisen pada bulan April 2015. Pekerja cawangan Nilai juga telah mendesak majikan cawangan Nilai untuk membayar semula caruman tahun-tahun sebelum ini berdasarkan akta KWSP. Tetapi dengan syarat isu ini tidak disebarkan ke cawangan-cawangan lain dan tidak di bawa ke KWSP, majikan telah membayar secara tunai dengan kadar 13 peratus untuk 7 tahun kepada para pekerja Nilai pada bulan November 2015 .

Pencaruman KWSP untuk ‘Profit Sharing’

Majikan Atlas Ais yang telah mula mencarum untuk ‘Profit Sharing’ di cawangan Nilai pada bulan April 2015, hanya mencarum untuk cawangan-cawangan lain mulai bulan Oktober 2015. Dan penyelesaian yang dibuat dengan pekerja Nilai telah disembunyikan daripada pengetahuan cawangan-cawangan lain walaupun kami juga adalah pekerja di bawah syarikat Atlas Edible Ais yang sama. Ini dengan jelas menunjukkan bahawa majikan telah merancang dengan licik untuk menyembunyikan penyelewengan ini. 

Kini apabila pekerja di cawangan Kepong dan Batu Caves mempersoalkan tindakan majikan mengapa baru nak mencarum dan apa jadi dengan tahun-tahun sebelum ini, majikan sekarang berkata ini adalah disebabkan kononnya mereka ‘perihatin terhadap kos hidup pekerja dan untuk memastikan pekerja mempunyai simpanan masa tua yang lebih’ (Lampiran 3).

Ini adalah satu penyelewengan yang jelas dan selama ini majikan yang berhujah kepada pekerja ‘Kukuh Syarikatku, Kukuh Nafkahku’ rupa-rupanya telah mempergunakan kepercayaan kami terhadap majikan untuk mencabul hak kami semata-mata untuk mengukuhkan keuntungan syarikat dengan membelakangkan kebajikan dan hak pekerja.

Penyalahgunaan kuasa Encik Kanagasothy

Pihak pekerja cawangan Kepong dan Batu Caves telah melakukan dua rundingan dengan majikan untuk menuntut penyelesaian ke atas penyelewengan tersebut. Tetapi majikan telah mempergunakan surat Encik V. Kanagasothy, Pengurus jabatan Penguatkuasaan di KWSP Jalan Raja Laut yang bertarikh 24/8/2015 sebagai kata muktamad untuk tidak menyelesaikan penyelewengan ini. 

Kandungan surat tersebut yang ditulis dalam Bahasa English tersebut diterjemahkan seperti berikut :
 

 “Berdasarkan fakta-fakta dan dokumen sokongan yang diberikan oleh anda (majikan), jabatan ini berpendapat bahawa Pembayaran ‘Profit Sharing’ yang dibuat kepada pemandu dan Lorry Atendan oleh syarikat anda BUKAN tertakluk kepada SUMBANGAN KWSP memandangkan pembayaran ini tidak dianggap sebagai ganjaran kerana pekerja di bawah kontrak pekerjaan anda, dan dengan itu tidak termasuk dalam takrif Upah di bawah seksyen 2 Akta KWSP 1991.”

“Keputusan itu adalah semata-mata berdasarkan fakta yang dikemukakan oleh anda (majikan) dan mungkin berbeza sekiranya terdapat apa-apa fakta bercanggah disediakan oleh mana-mana pihak lain pada masa akan datang”.

Apabila kami merujuk surat ini kepada pegawai KWSP di cawangan Batu Caves, beliau menegaskan bahawa surat ini tidak sepatutnya dikeluarkan dan alasan Encik V. Kanagasothy bercanggah dengan Akta KWSP. Walaupun kami menyatakan kepada majikan bahawa surat ini boleh dipertikaikan berdasarkan perenggan kedua, tetapi majikan dengan merujuk kepada surat Encik V. Kanagasothy mengatakan ini adalah keputusan muktamad KWSP untuk tidak menyelesaikan penyelewengan ini. 

Kami juga telah mempersoalkan, jika surat daripada KWSP kepada majikan Atlas yang dikeluarkan pada bulan Ogos 2015 sudah dimuktamadkan seperti kata KWSP, mengapa pembayaran telah dibuat oleh majikan kepada pekerja cawangan Atlas di Nilai pada bulan November 2015 ?

Kami amat tertipu dengan tindakan pegawai KWSP tersebut yang telah dipergunakan oleh majikan untuk menyeleweng hak pekerja. Memandangkan surat Encik V. Kanagasoth bercanggah dengan Seksyen 2 Akta KWSP, kami merasakan pegawai KWSP yang sepatutnya mempertahankan hak pekerja, telah berkomplot dengan majikan untuk meneruskan penyelewengan dalam isu caruman ke atas komisen. Justeru itu, kami menyeru Lembaga Pengarah dan pihak bertangungjawap dalam KWSP membuat siasatan dan mengambil tindakan sewajarnya ke atas pegawai ini untuk menegakkan kebenaran dan ketelusan. 

Pihak KWSP harus menuntut majikan mengembalikan semula caruman KWSP terhadap komisen yang tidak dibayar selama ini.

Justeru itu kami menuntut agar pihak KWSP menyiasat penyelewengan ini dan memastikan semua pekerja Atlas Ais di seluruh Malaysia mendapat keadilan dalam isu ini.

Sekian dimaklumkan untuk tindakan adil yang sewajarnya daripada pihak tuan.

Terima kasih 

Tandatangan Para pekerja dilampirkan

s.k –

Menteri Sumber Manusia, Kementerian Sumber Manusia, Putra Jaya

Ketua Pengarah Jabatan tenaga kerja Semenanjung Malaysia, Putra Jaya

Setiausaha Agung, Kongres Kesatuan Sekerja Malaysia (MTUC), Subang Jaya

Komisoner, Suhuhanjaya Hak Asasi Kemanusiaan (SUHAKAM), Kuala Lumpur

 

** Dipetik dari Blog Pejuang Pekerja

Pertubuhan Angkatan Bahaman dan 100 kumpulan - Employers should pay the Levy – Not Migrant Workers; Immoral for Malaysia to take from Workers to overcome national economic problems

Joint Statement – 12/2/2016

Employers should pay the Levy – Not Migrant Workers

Immoral for Malaysia to take from Workers to overcome national economic problems

We the 101 undersigned civil society organisations, trade unions and groups are shocked by the news that the Malaysian government is increasing the migrant worker (foreign worker) levy to more than double the current rate, which since January 2013, had to be paid by the migrant workers themselves.  Prior to that, it was paid by the employer of migrant workers, whereby the introduction of the levy then was to deter employers employing migrant workers, rather than local Malaysian workers. This was also stated by the then Malaysian Labour Director-General Datuk Ismail Abdul Rahim who was quoted saying that, “…The rationale behind getting employers to bear the levy was to discourage them from employing foreigners…”  [Star, 16/4/2009]

Migrant Worker Levy Rates Drastically Increased as of 1/2/2016

The Malaysian government recently announced that, as of 1/2/2016, annual levy payable for each migrant worker is increased to RM2,500 (manufacturing, construction and service sectors) and RM1,500 (plantation and agriculture). Before this, the annual levy payable for a Migrant Worker in the Manufacturing sector (RM1,250), Construction sector (RM 1,250), Plantation sector (RM590), Agricultural sector (RM410) and Services sector (RM1,250 – RM1,850) which was so much lower.

This new rates in comparison greatly burden the migrant worker in that the annual levy payable per migrant worker will now be doubled, or even tripled. 

For example, a migrant worker in an electronic factory, classified under the manufacturing sector, who paid a levy of RM1,250 before, will now have to pay double, RM2,500. A worker earning a monthly minimum wage of RM900, which is the wage many migrants are paid, will now have to pay more than RM200 for levy, leaving them with only less than RM700 as their monthly wage, not taking into account all other wage deductions. This is most unjust.

It is unconscionable for the Malaysian government to target migrant workers in the hope of making extra income of RM2.5 billion for the country from the 2.1 million documented migrant workers in Malaysia to rescue Malaysia from its current financial woes.

Easily Exploited With Almost No Access to Justice Makes Migrant Workers Vulnerable to Employers

When Malaysia, introduced Minimum Wage, employers and employer groups complained that their labour cost had gone up, and they could not afford it. In response, the Malaysian government decided that employers no longer need to pay the migrant worker levy, thus the obligation to pay the levy fell on migrant workers themselves.

Contract substitution remains a problem. Migrant workers agree to come to work in Malaysia, but when they start working, the migrant workers complain that they are now paid lower than what they had agreed to in their country of origin with the employer and/or his agent. Many employers have also used the Minimum Wage of RM900, as the standard wages they pay migrant workers. 

Because of the debt incurred by migrant workers in coming to Malaysia to work, which is about RM5,000 and the practice of employers and/or agents holding on to their passports and work permits, migrant workers find themselves in a form of bonded labour, and not able to do anything else but just survive. 

With the very low wages, they receive; many are forced into doing overtime sometimes 4 hours per day, working on rest days and even public holidays to make ends meet. Malaysian law stipulates a draconian overtime limit of 104 hours every month. This means, in effect migrant workers can be forced to work for 12 hours a day because in many workplaces doing overtime is no longer an option that workers can refuse. As such, migrant workers and even local workers can be considered to be engaged in some form of ‘forced labour’.

For migrant workers, access to justice remains a myth for many. When they complain about rights violations, what happens in many cases is that they are terminated, and their permit to work and/or remain in Malaysia is also terminated. This causes migrant workers to be easily controlled and exploited cheaply. They do not even have the option to claim justice.

Employers Contribute Less to Migrant Workers Income

Under the Malaysian law, employers are required to contribute 13% of the monthly income, inclusive of overtime earnings, to the Employees Provident Fund, this requirement is not applicable to the migrant workers. This makes migrant workers cheaper.

Further, since many employers do not take in migrant workers directly as their own employees, but take and use them as workers who are supplied by the labour suppliers - legally known as the contractors for labour - it effectively prevents these supplied migrant workers the right to join in-house trade unions. Even if they do join national/regional unions, they simply will not be able to enjoy the extra rights and benefits that come by reason of a Collective Bargaining Agreement between Union and Employer, simply by reason that they are not recognised as employees. Calls for the abolition of the ‘contractor for labour system’ by trade unions and civil society have gone unheeded by the government. 

Malaysia recognizes that households earning less than RM4,000 a month requires financial assistance, and local workers do get a small assistance from the government through the BR1M program – but migrant workers are excluded from this benefit.

Weakening Ringgit Causes Migrants to earn 20-40% less.

Whilst, the financial problems Malaysia is facing, coupled with the increased cost of living - new taxes, increased transportation costs, and the weakening of the Malaysian Ringgit in relation to currency of the country of origins of migrants – it is the migrant worker who suffers the most. 

The weakening ringgit also means that the money migrant workers send back home to their families is now much less and this has a serious impact on their families/dependents and the ability to settle their debts back home. It was recently reported, that "For instance, employees from Bangladesh used to make 44 taka for every RM1, but now it is about 17 taka. The drop is very drastic, more than 40%."Even the ringgit to the Indonesian rupiah has seen a drop in value by 20%," (Malaysian Insider, 5/2/2016)

Unjust to impose New Financial Obligations On Migrant Workers Already In Malaysia

It is totally unjust for Malaysia to impose new financial obligations by law on migrant workers, which did not exist when they agreed with their employers to come and work in Malaysia for 3-5 years. Any new obligations especially of payment by migrant workers should only apply to new migrant workers who have yet to agree to come to Malaysia to work – certainly not to those who are already here and working.

The Malaysian Trade Union Congress(MTUC) and employer groups have been informed that employers will now have to  pay migrant worker levy. This was also mentioned in a media report, which stated, ‘The FMM[Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers] said the government recently informed employers that the levy burden would be shifted back to them. (Star, 2/2/2016).

However, employer groups have started a campaign lobbying the Malaysian government to re-consider, and the Malaysian government has been reported as saying that they may re-consider. There is concern that this re-consideration may not just be about the amount of levy payable, but also the question as to who will have to pay the levy – migrant workers or their employer?

Therefore, we the undersigned

Call on the Malaysian government in the name of justice, to ensure that it must be the employers of migrant workers that should be paying this Migrant Worker levy – not the migrant workers;

Call on the Malaysian government to also reconsider the increase of the levy rate, at this time whilst Malaysia, and especially small Malaysian businesses, are affected by the economic crisis and the effect of the falling Malaysian ringgit.

Call on the Malaysian government to increase the Minimum Wage of all workers in Malaysia to RM1,200 – RM1,500, to compensate for the increased cost of living in Malaysia, and the falling value of the Malaysian ringgit with  reference to the currency in migrant worker’s countries of origin. 

Call on the Malaysian government to abolish the ‘contractor for labour’ system, and ensure that all workers that are working in a workplace are all recognised employees of the said workplace, and are treated equally as workers.

Charles Hector

Mohd Roszeli bin Majid

Pranom Somwong

For and on behalf of the 101 organisations, trade unions and groups listed below 

ALIRAN

Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (ALTSEAN-Burma)

Asia Monitor Resource Centre(AMRC)

Asia Floor Wage Alliance

Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development (APWLD)

Association of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters- Myanmar

Asociación de trabajadoras del Hogar a Domicilio y de Maquila, ATRAHDOM, Guatemala, Centro Amercia. 

Bangladesh Groep Nederland (Bangladesh Group The Netherlands)

Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies- BILS

BLAST,  Bangladesh

Boat People SOS (BPSOS)

Building and Wood Workers International (BWI) Asia Pacific Region

Campagna Abiti Puliti – Italy

CARAM Asia

Clean Clothes Campaign International Office(CCC)

Club Employees Union Peninsular Malaysia(CEUPM)

Coalition to Abolish Modern-day Slavery in Asia (CAMSA)

Crispin B. Beltran Resource Center (CBBRC),Philippines

CWI Malaysia (Committee for Workers International)

Defend Job Philippines

Fair – Italy

FAIR ACTION, Sweden

Foundation For Women, Thailand 

Garment and Allied Workers Union, India

German Clean Clothes Campaign

Homeworkers Worldwide, United Kingdom

IDEAL (Institute for Development of Alternative Living）

IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC)

Institut Rakyat

International Labor Rights Forum

Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (JERIT)

Jatio Shromik Federation (JSF), Bangladesh

Karmojibi Nari (KN), Bangladesh

Kesatuan Pekerja-Pekerja Perodua

Kesatuan Sekerja Industri Elektronik Wilayah Selatan, Semenanjung Malaysia (KSIEWSSM)

Knowledge and Rights with Young people through Safer Spaces (KRYSS)

Labour Behind the Label

Labour Studies and Action Centre (CEREAL), Mexico

Legal support for Children and Women (LSCW), Cambodia

MADPET (Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture)

Malaysian Election Observers Network

Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC)

MAP Foundation (Thailand)

MHS Aviation Employees Union

Migrante International

Mission for Migrant Workers

Myanmar Migrants Rights Centre

NAMM (Network of Action for Migrants in Malaysia)

National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF), Bangladesh

National Union Employees in Companies Manufacturing Rubber Products (NUECMRP)

National Union of Transport Equipment & Allied Industries Workers (NUTEAW), Malaysia

NLD LA Malaysia

North South Initiative

Oriental Hearts and Mind Study Institute(OHMSI)

Panggau Sarawak

Paper Products Manufacturing Employees’ Union of Malaysia (PPMEU)

Parti Rakyat Malaysia(PRM)

Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)

Pax Romana ICMICA

Peoples Service Organisation (PSO)

Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor (PSWS)

Pertubuhan Angkatan Bahaman, Temerloh, Pahang, Malaysia

PROHAM -Persatuan Promosi Hak Asasi Manusia

Radanar Ayar Rural Development Association, Myanmar

Repórter Brasil

Safety and Rights Society, Bangladesh

Sahabat Rakyat

Schone Kleren Campagne (CCC Netherlands)

SEA Women's Caucus on ASEAN

Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW), Philippines

Sramik Nirapotta Forum, Bangladesh

SUARAM

Tenaga National Berhad Junior Officers Union (TNBJOU)

TENAGANITA Women’s Force, Malaysia

Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia

The Collectif Ethique sur létiquette, Clean Clothes Campaign French

Think Centre, Singapore

UNI Global Union

War on Want

WARBE Development Foundation, Bangladesh

WH4C (Workers Hub For Change)

Women Peace Network-Arakan, Myanmar

Women Rehabilitation Center (WOREC), Nepal

Workers Assistance Center, Inc (WAC) , Philippines

Vietnamese Women for Human Rights

Yaung Chi Oo Workers Association-YCOWA

Yayasan Lintas Nusa, Indonesia

IMA Research Foundation, Bangladesh

International Trade Union Confederation(ITUC)

Women's Aid Organisation(WAO), Malaysia

PINAY (The Filipino Women's Organization in Quebec), Canada

Cividep India

Kesatuan Sekerja Industri Elektronik Wilayah Utara Semenanjung Malaysia

Centro Nuovo Modello di Sviluppo – Italy

National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (NUFAM)

Pusat KOMAS

Perak Women for Women Society (PWW)

Asian Migrant Centre

Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL)-Cambodia

Labour Education and Service Network

Mekong Migration Network(MMN)

Media coverage:- 

Employers should pay foreign worker levy, say civil society groups (Malaysian Insider)

'IMMORAL' MALAYSIA GETS A TICKING OFF: Bosses should pay the levy – NOT the migrant workers (Malaysia Chronicle, 13/2/2016))

Employers should pay the levy, not migrant workers (Malaysiakini, 12/2/2016)

 

The said Joint Statement was send to the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Minister of Human Resources, Minister of Home Affair (who is in charge of the Immigration Department), Opposition Leader in Parliament and SUHAKAM(Malaysia's Human Rights Commission). The emailed copy can be seen at ...

101 Groups Letter to PM Najib - Employers should pay the Levy – Not Migrant Workers , Immoral for Malaysia to take from Workers to overcome national economic problems