Lo stresses that MTUC Sarawak will take whatever necessary actions to stop the blatant discriminatory practice.
KUCHING: Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC), Sarawak Division, has urged the government to take action against a public-listed company for alleged anti-union activities.
MTUC Sarawak secretary Andrew Lo revealed late Wednesday that the management of the said company had prevented the workers from establishing an in-house union and there were cases of managers discouraging them from doing so through intimidation.
The in-house union and its officials were duly registered with the Department of Trade Union.
“It is actually alright for a company to refuse recognition of the union. The next step is to refer the matter to the director-general (DG) of Industrial Relations to conduct a ballot to determine whether or not the workers wish to be represented by the union,” he explained.
However, Lo pointed out, there were reports that the company’s senior managers had discouraged employees from casting their ballots and threatened that action would be taken against them if they did so and senior executives who were present during the balloting acted like big bullies to scare employees.
“As a result, less than 10 per cent of employees managed to cast their ballots. This fact clearly shows intimidation,” he told a press conference after completing an emergency meeting attended by 32 officials from
12 unions.
The union’s secretary was first suspended and finally dismissed while its president was transferred to another company before his service was terminated.
“The company also transferred two of the exco members of the union to other companies within the group,” he
added.
“We have filed police reports and made complaints to the DG of the Industrial Relations,” he said.
Describing the company’s actions as ‘disgusting’ and totally out of place in the 21st century, Lo expected such a prominent company to be professional, transparent and sincere in its dealings with its employees.
As such, Lo called on the government, especially Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem, to take action against the company and resolve the matter.
“To us, it is very simple, we cannot tolerate such blatant discriminatory practice, more so by such a prominent company which has benefitted from multi-million contracts from both state and federal governments,” he said.
“It is time that government agencies and especially the Human Resource Minister who is from Sarawak to display leadership to protect Sarawakian employees from such bullying,” he added.
The government, Lo emphasised, cannot turn a blind eye to such activity in the state.
He urged the government to resolve the matter by early next month, failing which MTUC warned it would take whatever necessary actions including industrial action, protest and complaint to the International Labour Organisation to stop the blatant discriminatory
practice.
“So these are the things we will do including calling for boycott of all its products and barring the company from participating in any government tender and project,” he added.
Source :[ The Borneo Post ]