Friday, February 28, 2014

MAS is embarassing Malaysia in the way that it is treating workers and their union

It is very sad that the Malaysian Airlines(MAS), which is a government-linked company, and the national carrier of Malaysia is not out there setting the best example of an employer that respects worker rights and trade union rights.

See also earlier posts:-

ITUC makes it 43 groups calling on MAS to revoke suspension on Union president




Friday February 28, 2014 MYT 7:28:33 AM

Four MAS flight attendants sacked for taking part in rally

PETALING JAYA: Four Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight attendants have been sacked for allegedly participating in a union rally in Putrajaya in November, says a union member.

National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (Nufam) president Ismail Nasaruddin, who was also sacked, said the four had received their termination letters in February. 

Nufam members took part in a peaceful rally at the Human Resources Ministry on Nov 27.

It is understood that three of the sacked female attendants were on medical leave the day they came to the rally. 

Ismail, who was sacked two days after the rally, said the termination came after show-cause letters were issued to 30 crew members, including union exco members, over their involvement in the rally.

“The rally had nothing to do with MAS. We rallied for our union matters,” Ismail stressed. 

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Nufam said MAS had suspended the union’s secretary-general Mohd Akram Osman, a chief steward with the airline for 25 years, over his involvement in the same rally and for issuing a union circular using the company email. 

The union, however, said sending union circular through the company email facility has been the practice for many years and was never questioned by the airline. 

It urged MAS to withdraw all show cause letters issued to the 30 crew members and to stop union-busting activity against Nufam. 

“We are still waiting for the ministry and the airline to respond to the matter,” added Ismail.- Star, 28/2/2014,Four MAS flight attendants sacked for taking part in rally

 4:00PM Feb 27, 2014

MAS suspends union sec-gen, sacks others

Malaysia Airlines has suspended the secretary-general of the National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (Nufam) and sacked three flight attendants, Nufam said.

This follows the issuance of 30 show cause letters to Nufam members and the sacking of the union president Ismail Nasaruddin.

In a statement yesterday, Nufam said that its secretary-general and a chief steward with MAS for 25 years Mohd Akram Osman (in white t-shirt) was suspended over his attendance at a Nufam rally and for issuing a union circular using MAS email.

However, Nufam said the rally at the Human Resources Ministry in Putrajaya on Nov 27 was during Mohd Akram's day off.

Nufam said MAS also sacked three other flight attendants for attending the rally while they were on medical leave.

It said that the women were issued medical chits by MAS' panel clinic who found them not fit enough to fly, and the chits were accepted by the airline.

“Although they were on medical leave, (it was) not specifically mentioned... that they should be confined at home,” it said, noting that MAS has no right to dictate what they should do on days off.

Nufam added that the flight attendants were not in their MAS uniforms during the rally and had attended in solidarity with the union.

Suspended for sending email

On its secretary-general, Nufam said that Mohd Akram was suspended for sending an email to Nufam executive secretary Mahmood Abdullah and had then forwarded the email to union members.

It said that this is not the first time Mohd Akram has used his MAS email for union matters, as he had done so for several years without problem.

It added that Mohd Akram was not attending an “illegal gathering” in Putrajaya as claimed by MAS, but was handing over a memorandum and meeting with Human Resources Ministry officials on union matters.

“MAS human resources managers were also present during the meeting... we have minutes of the meeting to prove (it),” it said.

It further reiterated its protest against the “summary dismissal” of Nufam president Ismail (pictured above, in cap) on Nov 29, which it claimed happened without a domestic inquiry.

It is understood that Ismail, who was sacked for calling for the replacement of MAS chief executive officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya (left), has brought the matter to the Industrial Court.

Condemning the various actions against its members, Nufam urged the government to view union-busting seriously and to enact a law to haul up errant employers.

Contacted on action on Ismail, Mohd Akram and dozens of other flight attendants, MAS told Malaysiakini that it has the right to take disciplinary action against its staff for allegedly breaching employee conduct.

It also denied that it is engaging in union-busting and that it was breaching industrial trade laws.- Malaysiakini, 27/2/2014, MAS suspends union sec-gen, sacks others

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