Malaysian Airlines (MAS) Employees and Trade Union Rights at risk by new law being

rushed through:
Malaysia Airlines (MAS), a government linked company continues to violate worker and trade
union rights. Recently, MAS commenced disciplinary action against Mohd Akram bin
Osman,the Secretary General of the National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (NUFAM),
and 30other NUFAM members. The show cause letter date on or about 14/2/2014 asked why
disciplinary action should not be taken against them by reason of their participation in an illegal
gathering on 27/11/2013 at the Ministry of Human Resources in Putrajaya. The National Union
of Flight Attendants Malaysia (NUFAM) is a registered trade union, and it had sought
recognition from Malaysia Airlines, the employer of the some of its members. Recognition is a
legal requirement in Malaysia before an employer can be compelled to sit down, negotiate and
agree to a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).When MAS rejected the application, the
Director General of Industrial Relations (DGIR)conducted a secret ballot which involved all
qualified employees, NUFAM succeeded in getting62.73% of the votes, and thereafter on
August 2013, the DGIR issued the formal letter acknowledging NUFAM as a recognized union.
It must be noted that in Malaysian law, MAS, as employer, would have to agree on the list of
qualified employees entitled to vote before the secret ballot, and as such challenging the result
and the subsequent recognition of the union is bad.