Malaysian unions demand meaningful labour law reform

Media Release by Decent Work Working Group at Summit Hotel, Subang Jaya

7 October 2018

Today in Subang Jaya around 80 trade union and civil society representatives have held a consultation meeting to advance meaningful proposals to reform Malaysia’s outdated labour laws. The proposals were put together in line with the ILO’s decent work framework, and are the result of an ongoing process of consultation with workers and unions.

“With the sorry state of unionisation at 8% and the government's hands-off response to employers' union busting activities, unorganised workers fall prey to the capitalist system”, said Bruno Pereira, the General Secretary of Electronic Industry Employees Union Western Region. “The new government must address the asymmetric power between capital owners and workers by removing provisions of Trade Union Act that restrict workers from forming trade unions and bargaining collective agreements.”

Discussion amongst participants highlighted the fact that provisions covering union recognition in the Industrial Relations Act allow employers to evade collective bargaining. The provisions must be replaced with an automatic recognition upon registration with the Ministry of Human Resources.

[Gallery] Seminar on World Day for Decent Work

In conjunction with World Day for Decent Work, the Decent Work Working Group (including MSN) organised a one-day Seminar on World Day for Decent Work at Summit Hotel on 7th October 2018.

The seminar was attended by 80 trade unionists, migrant worker and refugee organisation representatives, academics and a SUHAKAM commissioner.

In the opening remark, Member of Parliament Klang YB Charles Santiago warned that a society would face severe inequality if the government did not address the problem of asymmetric power between employers and workers. A decent living wage can only be attained if trade unions were united and have collective bargaining power.

The seminar was divided into 3 panel discussions - 1) Rights at work, 2) Social dialogue and social protection, 3) Future of work. Trade union leaders Gopal Krishnam, Bruno Pereira, Engrit Liaw, Ikmal Azam Tanaraj; migrant worker organisation leaders Adrian Pereira, Liezl Galdo; Grab food driver representative Mohd. Zamir; Academic Prof. Rajah Rasiah were among the panel speakers.

The participants released a joint statement to demand comprehensive labour law reforms.