Saturday, September 06, 2014

‘Never before railwaymen sacked for picketing’ (Malaysiakini)

See also earlier posts:-

KTMB sacks top union leaders, 110 other railwaymen await fate 

112 KTMB workers terminated? Why? For a Union organised picket?



‘Never before railwaymen sacked for picketing’

Former Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) president Muhammad Abas is flabbergasted that Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) sacked its workers for participating in a picket.

The former Railwaymen’s Union of Malaya (RUM) president said such action was never taken against workers under his leadership.

“There was once when we had a picket for 23 days and no one was sacked. But workers were sacked for this picket which only lasted for three days.”

Muhammad stressed that the company cannot, in any way, interfere with the activities conducted by the union.

He said RUM should forward the matter to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak as this may affect the country’s image if the issue draws international attention.

“As the former RUM president, I urge KTMB to re-employ the sacked workers,” he said in commenting on the sacking of two top union leaders - RUM president Abdul Razak Md Hassan and his deputy R Subramaniam.

Hundreds of RUM members participated in the May 9 picket to demand for the resignation of KTMB president Elias Kadir as they claimed that the company had performed dismally under his leadership. _Malaysiakini, 6/9/2014, ‘Never before railwaymen sacked for picketing’


Railwaymen awaiting KTMB axe for picketing


Railwaymen’s Union of Malaya (RUM) former president Abdul Razak Md Hassan believes that it is only a matter of time before members of the union who participated in a picket last May are sacked.

He claimed that the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) is booting out exp the workers one by one. Abdul Razak himself was expelled on Aug 29.

The latest incident witnessed three KTMB workers given marching orders without notice. The three are Muhammad Faizal Shahibul Kiraya, Zahit Zakaria and Mohamad Yusuf Mohamed Rashid.

"They will get rid of the workers one by one until all 110 workers are out," Abdul Razak (left in photo) told Malaysiakini today.

He explained that the workers were those who were identified by the KTMB management as having participated in the May 9 picket.

Razak was referring to the picket held to pressure KTMB president Datuk Elias Kadir to. About 700 RUM members had participated in the protest.

He said the management decided to do that as it believes that they had broken the law by their action.

However, citing Section 4 (Act 177) of the Industrial Relations Act 1967, Abdul Razak said the company had no power to obstruct union activities.

He, nonetheless, stressed that the union members will not appeal to get their jobs back.

“We are not in the wrong,” said Abdul Razak who is also mulling taking legal action against the company for  “wrongful dismissal”. - Malaysiakini, 6/9/2014, Railwaymen awaiting KTMB axe for picketing

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