Saturday, June 22, 2019

MTUC PNG DIV. PRESS RELEASE ILO CONVENTION 87

Press Release - ILO Convention 87

MTUC Penang Division refers to the FMT report of 21.6.2019 wherein it had quoted the Human Resources Ministry as saying that the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) had, previously, rejected  the ratification of ILO Convention 87 by the government of Malaysia. The said Ministry's response is, apparently,  a rebuttal of the MTUC General Secretary Bro. J. Soloman's call, to the ILO,  to persuade the government of Malaysia to ratify Convention 87.

To the best of my knowledge MTUC has always pursued the goal of the ratification of ILO Convention 87 on the fundamental right to freedom of association and the right to organise. The MTUC's push, for the ratification of Convention 87,  has always been an utmost priority over the past decades. And, as I can re-collect, the MTUC has never compromised itself on the matter.

 MTUC Penang Division is, therefore,  baffelled at the statement of the Ministry Of Human Resources that MTUC had rejected ILO Convention 87 osentsibly on the grounds of multiplicity of unions at the workplace. We are also concerned with the Human Resources Ministry's statement that they abandoned amendments to the Trade Union Act 1959 and the Industrial Relations Act 1967 on account of MTUC's purported  position with regards to Convention 87.

Firstly, it would be impossible for the MTUC leadership to deviate from the collective decision of the organisation on the pursuit of the ratification of Convention 87. Secondly, the ratification of Convention 87, in all its form,  has no middle path - you either adpot it lock, stock and barrel or not! And that is a fact that the MTUC is fully aware off. Under such circumstances we are of the view that the MTUC leadership would not have stood in the path of the ratification of Convention 87 as it has been a priority  item on MTUC's policy agenda for a long, long time.

Having made our point in the matter we wish to turn to the Ministry's decision to abandon  crucial amendments to the Trade Union Act 1959 and the Industrial Relations Act 1967.

If the Pakatan Harapan government is truly committed to labour law reforms it must display that pledge by bringing about meaningful changes to the existing labour legislations. For the trade union movement to break out of the entrapment of uncaring and repulsive labour laws that curtails the  development of a vibrant labour movement it is vital that the Ministry Of Human Resources brings about the appropriate changes to the existing labour laws without any undue delay. Abandoning the urgently needed changes, to the prevailing restrictive provisions of the Trade Union Act 1959 and the Industrial Relations Act 1967, is not,  in our view, an option. We, therefore, would urge the Ministry Of Human Resources to review its position in the matter.

K.Veeriah
Secretary MTUC Penang Division
22.6.2019
016 4184520