FACULTY OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATIVE (HONS) HUMAN RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT

INDUSTRIAL RELATION (HRM659)

Group Assignment : Reflective Current Issues

PREPARED BY :

Name Student ID Class

SYED MUHAMMAD FITRI BIN SAYED AHMAD FAUZI 2021117347 RBA2435C

MUHAMMAD SOLAHUDDIN BIN JAAFAR 2021505141 RBA2435C

HANIN ATHIRAH BINTI HASNAN 2021393295 RBA2435C

KHAIRIN NAFISAH BINTI ALI 2021156151 RBA2435C

MOHAMAD SHAFIQ AIMAR BIN MOHAMAD ZAMIR 2020483584 RBA2435A

PREPARED FOR

MISS NIK AZLINA BINTI NIK ABDULLAH

SUBMISSION DATE

18 NOVEMBER 2022
 TABLE OF CONTENT

Content Page

1.0 INTRODUCTION 3

2.0 ISSUE AND OPINION 4

3.0 FACTOR AND OPINION 5

4.0 SOLUTION 6

5.0 CONCLUSION 7

6.0 REFERENCE 8
1.0 INTRODUCTION

The field of industrial relations refers to the relationships between employer and
employees as employment relations, and covers a variety of employment situations that
involve workers, companies, union representatives and the government. Initially, industrial
relations will start with employment relations, where compensation is provided in exchange
for labour, such as in an employment contract.

The cooperation of workers and healthy relationships are needed for industrial growth.
Good relationships between employees and employers should be established and preserved
for the benefit of all. Industrial relations are the connections between both managers and
employees that are a result of the complex and different attitudes and behaviours that are
related to how the industry is managed.

Employment relations focus on creating a workplace where conflict is less likely to

occur and, when it happens, the problem will be resolved effectively and quickly by those
involved. From the reflective current issue that represents The Malaysian Trades Union
Congress required a drastic change to the employment system, we can see that there are
several problems related to dissatisfaction with the rights and demands from workers and
will give the risk of a bad employment relationship and industrial relation growth will be
disrupted. (Lai, 2019)

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2.0 ISSUE & OPINION

Based on the article The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) calls for drastic
change to employment system there is an issue which is MTUC has called the government
to make a drastic change to the employment system in the country to follow the protocols
were not fully followed such as Convention 98, which is the right to organise and collective
Bargaining Convention.

Second issue is abolishing the contract system for every job. This is because the
system is unjust and denies the rights of workers. Employees are always in a situation in
which they worry whether their contracts will be extended or not, and employee career
advancement is unsure.

The Third issue is MTUC wants the government to hear the demands from workers.
Kamarul Baharin said that the government needs to carefully address the complaints being
lodged by workers.

Lastly, Kamarul Baharin said that Labour Day should not be seen as merely another
public holiday. Employees want justice, honesty, trust and responsibility in the context of
relationships between companies and employees.

In my opinion, companies should be aware of their employee rights. Because the

workers are the important aspects for economic growth in a country, The relationship
between both parties needs to be taken care of and a win-win concept should be practised.

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3.0 FACTORS & OPINION

The factors that the article brings up which requires the government to make drastic
change are due to the right to be represented by employees union under the Collective
Bargaining Convention.

Next, the terms of employment should be permanent instead of contracts. Under

contracts employees are unsecured about their jobs stability and they are denied the
benefits that comes with the employment.

In addition, demands and grievances from the employees must be heard through a
proper channel and must be addressed by employers in a professional manners.

Moreover, The importance of Labour Day shoud be stressed and celebrated in a

manner where workers are being reminded of their importance as the main drivers in a
country's economy.

Hence, The policies of minimum wage, shorter working hours, longer maternities
leave and paternity leave must be addressed and implement the best possible ways in a win
win formula.

In my opinion, these factors play important roles for the employee in a positive ways
so they would feel secure and achieved employees satisfaction at work so they would feel
mattered and their voice are also employers concerns.

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4.0 SOLUTION

Based on the issues above, there are several solutions to solve the problem. Firstly,
the government should take action to the MTUC’s suggestion as to protect the rights of the
employees. It is very important because it may affect the effectiveness of the union towards
the employees. Moreover, the government should implement a new law in which every
company must have a union to represent employees to avoid any suppression of rights.

Secondly, through this system, employers save money by engaging labour without
having to extend social welfare benefits such as leave wages. Thus, the government can
take initiative to implement the new law for the contract employees. However, the contract
workers still can join as members to fight their rights.

Thirdly, the government should give attention to the problems faced by the workers.
Besides, unions also can be on behalf of the workers to voice out the problems to the
government. The employers, union and government may sit together and discuss and come
out with the solutions.

Lastly, during labour day it should be a day that the employers give the appreciation to
the employees. Employers should be concerned about their needs and ask for some
suggestions and recommendations from them. Most importantly, employers must have a
good relationship with employees and appreciate them by giving something valuable. Thus
the union can voice out this to the employers.

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5.0 CONCLUSION

The traditional function of the Malaysian trade union movement was to just support the
material concerns of its members. It now actively participates in the nation's economic
growth. The MTUC's actions are intended to advance equality, raise workers' living
standards, and improve workplace safety.

It is vital to focus on leadership and organisational culture reforms to facilitate structural

reforms inside the union, as advised to the MTUC and similar trade unions with constrained
structural and associational authority and organisational issues. The union members and
leaders must develop a distinct and independent political vision and agenda based on their
context in light of Malaysia's evolving political economy and labour market. Because of the
state's extensive political supervision over all civil society organisations in Malaysia and the
threat of political retaliation, it is possible that the MTUC lacks an independent political goal.
The "worker" must be seen from a wider viewpoint, the conflict between migrant and local
labour must be eliminated, and the MTUC must recognise gender equality.

However, the MTUC must take possibilities to reform Malaysia's labour relations from the
outside, particularly from the US, and from within, like the Bersih movement. By boosting the
association's ability for organisation and dramatically expanding its membership, these
opportunities offer places for the development of associational power sources. In order to
achieve financial independence from the state and increase its organisational independence,
the MTUC must restructure its dues-payment system. Major reforms inside the MTUC
should place a strong premium on financial independence and resilience. This can only
result in its migrant and domestic worker organising campaigns becoming more financially
viable, as these initiatives attract new dues-paying members and so support the
organization's overall financial viability. Increased membership can help the union
significantly reinforce its institutional power sources within the tripartite structure by
increasing associational power.

Similarly, there is still possibility for the MTUC to achieve industry-based bargaining at
the federal level by expanding on its industry-based unions and developing structural
authority. By working with both political and labour partners within Malaysian civil society, the
MTUC's political independence can also be used to strengthen its coalitional and discursive
power resources. However, without a clear political vision and agenda, the MTUC might just
drift around aimless amid the political-economic and social changes and may lose the gains
attained so far in its domestic workers’ agenda.

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6.0 REFERENCES

Nor Ain Mohamed Radhi (2022, April 30) MTUC calls for drastic change to the employment
system. Retrieved from

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2022/04/793059/mtuc-calls-drastic-change-
employment-system

Harits Asyraf Hasnan (2021, Feb 13). A year working from home, the government needs to
hear the problems of workers - MTUC. Retrieved from https://www.astroawani.com/berita-
malaysia/year-working-home-government-needs-hear-problems-workers-mtuc-282761

Danial Hakeem. Abolish contract system for support service workers in public premises.
Retrieved from https://www.manifestorakyat2021.org/items-7/abolish-contract-system-for-
support-service-workers-in-public-premises

Tony D.Lai (2019, Sept 12) Industrial Relation vs Human Resources Management: The
Difference. Retrieved from http://hrnews.my/2019/09/12/industrial-relations-vs-human-
resource-management-the-difference/