Employee Relations & Workplace

Management Conference 2011

Kuala Lumpur; 1-2 June 2011
Modern Unionism
Adopting to the evolving
developments of Union
activities
By G. Rajasekaran
Metal Industry Employees Union

Modern Unionism Adopting to the evolving

developments of Union activities

Maintaining a positive relationship with Union

representatives.

Analysing the impact of globalisation on industrial

relations.

Understanding the human relations benefits fostered

by trade unions.

Highlighting unions role in the formulation,

monitoring and enforcement of the labour standards.

Code of conduct for Industrial Harmony and areas

for cooperation and Agreed Industrial Relations
Practices - 1975
The

Code of conduct for Industrial Harmony which is being

introduced today has its origins in growing dissatisfaction with the
state of industrial relations in our country.

In

any society, there is necessarily conflict in industry between

employers and employees, between the owners of goods and
services and those who work to produce these goods and services.

The

objective of our industrial relations system should be to direct

the forces producing conflict towards constructive ends.

In

a parliamentary democracy like ours, it is the accepted view that

this conflicts should be resolved by the parties concerned with as
little State intervention as possible.

Maintaining a positive relationship with Union

representatives

Laws are necessary but they are no substitute for an attitude

of mind which regards IR problems as essentially human
problems requiring common sense solutions.

The aim of this Code of Conduct is to redress this deficiency

in both outlook and approach. It exhorts management and
unions to recognise the human relations aspect of industrial
relations. It stresses that it is only with an abundance of
goodwill, combined with constant consultation and
communication between the parties involved, that we can
hope to contain the destructive expression of industrial
conflict and encourage a more equitable and efficient system
for the benefit of those involved and the community at large.

Analysing the impact of globalisation on IR

February 2008 amendments to the IR Act imposes a

mandatory 24 months limit on compensation for wrongfully
dismissed workers.

Competition for FDI has unfairly strengthened the power and

influence of major corporations especially MNCs.

Pressure on the Govt to:

Remove long established legal safeguards
Remove security of tenure
Weaken trade unions
Flood the country with migrant workers

Understanding the human relations benefits fostered

by trade unions

Limitation on unions scope of representation

Aims to exclude as many category of employees as
possible.
Most employers fail to understand the negative
implications.

Bias in favour of weak in-house unions

Why workers reject PLWS

Unions role in the formulation monitoring and

enforcement of labour standards

Parliament promulgate legislations.

Manpower Dept is not fully equipped to enforce and ensure

compliance in thousands of workplaces.

More than 600 unions are in a better position to monitor.

MTUC as the national centre of trade unions regularly hold

workshops and conferences to attain feedback from affiliates.

MTUC formulates proposal on labour standards based on

weaknesses in current provisions and ILO Conventions and
recommendations.

THANK YOU