202 IACM holds explanatory meeting for employees of poultrytrade
In view of the impact of implementation of “separation between humans and poultry” measure on the poultry trade, to express care and kindness, the government drew up the overall assistance measures. The Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM), after having meeting with the poultry trade about withdrawal assistance plan recently, held an explanatory meeting specifically with employees of the trade on the afternoon of May 19 to explain the support from the government and measures such as assistance in change of career, especially the decision about assisting employers with redundancy compensation for employees. About 120 employees of the trade attended the explanatory meeting.
The IACM indicated in the meeting that the government was very concerned about the trade affected. In June, a total of MOP6.2 million of subsidy for compensation of poultry and suspension of business will be granted to operators and practitioners who were suspended from work due to the impact of the three outbreaks of avian influenza occurred from December 2016 to February 2017, including the subsidy for suspension of business at MOP200 daily per person.
Moreover, in accordance with stipulations in “Labour Relations Law”, if an employer makes an employee redundant, he/she has to pay the compensation to the employee according to the law. If the employer of the poultry trade is faced with financial issues due to redundancy of employees, he/she can seek help from the government. The government will provide support to ensure that the redundancy compensation is made in accordance with law. According to information provided by the trade, if all employees are made redundant, the amount involved will be up to over MOP14 million.
In addition, the Macao SAR Government will grant an additional one-off assistance payment to all local employees and helpers of the poultry trade, which will be about double of their monthly salary.
The relevant departments of the Macao SAR Government is active in making arrangements for helping the trade to change the business. The IACM is following the case with the Labour Affairs Bureau to provide assistance, including encouraging the trade to change to operate other retail items in markets and assisting employees in need to change careers or receive retraining.
Employees of the poultry trade who attended the meeting find the measures for subsidy for suspension of business and redundancy assistance proposed by the government acceptable. The IACM will continue to maintain communication with them, and will seriously consider and analyse their other requests, offering assistance in accordance with law.
