MTEL accused of unpaid wages

The telecommunication service provider MTEL has been accused of owing unpaid salaries to its employees, according to a report by Macau Concealers.

Some of the company’s employees reported that most MTEL staff have not obtained their salaries corresponding to last February and March. These workers claimed that they were apprehensive about making a complaint to the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) for fear of losing their jobs.

They also said that MTEL has been withholding part of their salaries for housing subsidies and bonuses, which, in their opinion, amounts to another way of cutting wages.

According to the report, MTEL currently has approximately 100 employees. Unpaid salary issues reportedly involve all staff, but the situation is amplified regarding non-local employees.

One employee said that the company offers a few employees MOP20,000 as base salary, of which MOP3,000 is reserved for housing subsidies. Under such conditions, the base salary is reduced to MOP17,000.

In response to the report, MTEL denied the accusations made against the company, refusing to make further comments because salary and subsidy issues are a matter of “internal operating secrets.”

The Bureau of Telecommunications and Postal Services (CTT) also replied to the Macau Concealer’s inquiry saying that the accusation “involves the company’s wage management system, and whether it is true, it is related to the company’s internal operating secrets.”