Ninety seven KTMB workers who were sacked for participating in a picket were reinstated, but with a pay cut.

This included those who were issued show-cause letters, KTMB chairperson Nawawi Ahmad said.

However, he said those involved will first need to sign a memorandum of agreement with KTMB before they are allowed to commence duties.

The Langkawi MP added that five workers had already been reinstated and commenced duty on Tuesday.

“They have already been reinstated after the appeal process and have signed an agreement memorandum which KTMB prepared,” Nawawi ( left ) said in a press conference today.

On May 9, ninety-seven workers were sacked after a domestic inquiry found them guilty for taking part in a picket to demand the expulsion of KTMB president Elias Kadir who was appointed on May 2 2012.

The protest attended by more than a hundred workers was organised by the Railwaymen’s Union of Malaya (RUM) in front of KTMB headquarters.

The workers demanded Elias’ resignation for alleged shortcomings in running the government-linked company.

Union picket against the law

Elias, during today’s press conference, again stressed that action was taken against the workers for participating in the picket, saying that it was an offence against the law.

“It is against the law, that’s why they were given a warning letter and consequently sacked. However, I cannot state the offence was made under which provision of law,” he said.

Elias also avoided answering RUM’s demand for his resignation.

“I’m not good in answering questions by the media. The workers’ reinstatement was ordered by the chairperson of the board of directors,” he said.

'Another picket if issue not resolved'

Meanwhile, RUM president Abdul Razak Md Hassan expressed his disappointment with KTMB because despite the workers being reinstated, they will now have to contend with a lower salary.

This was among the conditions in the MOU which KTMB had announced earlier.

“The memorandum which RUM had agreed upon is one that will benefit both parties. And this is not for our pay to be lower by two points (dua mata gaji),” he told Malaysiakini .

He also said that KTMB should reinstate the workers to their original posts without any condition.

“We are not in the wrong, so why should our salary be lower? Picketing is a right of workers’ unions, it does not violate any law.

“Under section 4 and 5 of the Employment Act 1955, picketing is part of the workers’ union’s activities and prohibiting workers from picketing is a malicious thing to do,” he said.

He also vowed that RUM will continue to picket if the KTMB management fails to solve the issue promptly.