The Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) has expressed dismay over the influx of foreign workers, saying that their presence dilutes the power of unions.
Its secretary-general N Gopal Kishnam said since the 1990's, employers have already been using Voluntary Separation Schemes and other means to dismiss local workers and replace them with cheap foreign labour.
When the matter was brought to the Ministry of Human Resources, it was referred to the Industrial Relations Department or the Industrial Court instead, which Gopal said held the view that employers have absolute right to restructure their businesses despite what the employment contracts might state.
There is also a trend where employers tend to refer matters related to collective agreements to the Industrial Courts instead of negotiating directly with the unions, he said, which further undermined the union’s bargaining power.
Full story: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/280541
