MAS - Please get out now - your name is on the 'list'? Is that the way to treat employees?

“I came in early. The security guards were not even at their booth yet at the time. I did my work as usual, manning the airport traffic.

“Suddenly, one of the security personnel came to the office and told us that we need to get out. When I asked why, they just told us that our names were in the ‘list’,” said a MAS staff who declined to be named.

 ...Other workers who turned up for work this morning were refused entry as they had also been axed by MAS, and their names had been revealed to the airport security....

MAS Employees have known for many months that many(about 6,000) would end up losing their jobs, but they stayed on loyally doing their work for our Malaysian airlines. That loyalty should have been appreciated - and they should not have been treated in the way that some were. They could have started looking for better jobs and left, but they did not.

Now, when you turn up at work and have started working as usual, to have security guards come and tell you to 'get out' because you are on the 'list'(possibly the list of people who will not be offered employment by the new Company, Malaysian Airlines Berhad[MAB]) is really so mean. 

Normally, when it comes to termination of an employee, employers will generally give workers at least 1 month notice that they will be terminated, so that they will be able to make the necessary arrangements - have time for fellow workmates to maybe even give them a 'send off party'. It is only employees that commit a grievous misconduct and asked to leave immediately - where the security guards come and escort you off premises requiring you to immediately hand over office keycards, etc...

So, if what has been reported is true, MAS(Malaysian Airlines Systems Berhad) is really a most UNCARING employer.

Now, apparently all MAS(Malaysian Airlines Systems Berhad) have been terminated - and some may have also got employment offers from the new company, Malaysian Airlines Berhad(MAB). Apparently some 12 days have been given to these persons to accept the MAB offer. So, in short all employees of MAS will be terminated - so why are some asked to leave immediately and others not? Why are some given 12 days termination notice, and others not? Is this not discrimination?

Maybe, only those who will not be getting employment offers by MAB have been terminated as MAS employees as of 1/6/2015. Maybe the others will all be terminated as MAS employees later on when they accept the offer by MAB? 

Most of these employees were union members - but sadly, their Unions, in my opinion, failed to struggle enough for their rights. And now, the Unions are even not involved in this termination exercise... The Unions could have fought for at the very least a longer termination notice - giving time for these now terminated employees to make the necessary adjustments in their life including getting other employment. Now, they have to compete with about 6,000 others - employers are at an advantage, and the bargaining power of employees will not be there. 'I will pay you so much...take it or leave it after all so many others are also desperately looking for jobs...' 

In lay-off or retrenchment, there is a just legal principle - i.e. Last In First Out(LIFO). Well, the unions could have fought to ensure that that was followed when it came to employment offers to ex-MAS employees - giving priority to those with longer tenure. The older you are, the more likely you have higher liabilities and responsibilities > and it will be more difficult to get new work with the same or higher pay previously enjoyed. It was a just principle - but now apparently, the new offers for employment will not be following such a formula. 

The strategy employed by MAS was shameful - 14,000 will be offered employment, 6000 will end up with no job. So many a worker just did not protest or picket or 'campaign for justice' but just sat silently praying that they would be in the lucky 14,000. Was that also in the minds of Union leaders as they did almost nothing in mobilizing their members into action?   

 

Some earlier relevant posts

All MAS employees terminated, irrespective of whether re-hired by MAB, entitled to same termination benefits?

Hard to probe into MAS as it’s a GLC, says Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC)?

MAS Employees - Terminated, Termination Benefits, LIFO, Unions?

Najib to be blamed for MAS's failure,loss of employment of thousands, union busting,..?

MTUC and 36 Groups concerned about all MAS employees loss of employment...

 

MAS staff in Sabah return to work, only to be told they have been retrenched

By:
Sandra Sokial

A large number of MAS staff were seen queuing up at the administration office to collect their termination letters. Some claimed that they did not know of being given the boot until they arrived for work this morning. — TRP pic Sandra Sokial

KOTA KINABALU, June 2, 2015:

After the long weekend following the Kaamatan Festival break, it was back to work for many Sabahans.

But not for several Malaysia Airlines System Berhad (MAS) staff who were somewhat caught off guard when they were ordered to leave their respective offices by security personnel after being told they were no longer employed by the national airline.

“I came in early. The security guards were not even at their booth yet at the time. I did my work as usual, manning the airport traffic.

“Suddenly, one of the security personnel came to the office and told us that we need to get out. When I asked why, they just told us that our names were in the ‘list’,” said a MAS staff who declined to be named. The “list” referred to are the names of those who have been axed.

The personnel claimed that if their names came out on paper, their compensation would be revoked.

Some staff, who had been counter offered, were allowed to resume work as usual, with offers of a two months bonus and a salary review, reportedly lower than before.

Other workers who turned up for work this morning were refused entry as they had also been axed by MAS, and their names had been revealed to the airport security.

Many were seen queuing at the MAS office at 9am to pick up their letters, and those who were terminated immediately were also told to surrender their office identity tags

“It felt like taking the SPM results, this is just outrageous,” one was heard saying, alluding to the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examinations.

Those who came were asked to register their names at the MAS Corporate Development Centre for re-employment, and they are allowed to challenge the process in court, if they wish to do so.

It is reported that 14,000 MAS employees have been selected to join the re-branded Malaysia Airlines Berhad, from Sept 1. They were also given 12 days to decide on the matter, while another 6,000 had been terminated as part of Khazanah’s RM6 billion restructuring plan.

Apart from the MAS administration staff, the termination of cabin crew personnel would be done in stages. Pilots and the engineering department staff are said to have escaped the retrenchment exercise.

Checks at the MAS airport check-in and service counters showed it was operating as usual, despite complaints from several cabin crews that they are no longer in the mood for work.

It is learnt that Sabah and Sarawak has an estimated 1,800 workforce, and the termination letters would be issued for two days beginning today.

“We felt that the termination was not done professionally, because in the peninsula, letters were sent to their houses or mailed, but over here, we only found out that our names were axed when we turn up for work,” said another MAS staff.- The Rakyat Post, 2/6/2015