Concerns have been raised that more employees may be sacked from Malaysia Airlines (MAS) on top of the estimated 6,000 terminations that will happen as part of the company's restructuring exercise.

This follows the revelation that some employees who received re-employment letters are only given a contract of three to eight months.

"Where is the guarantee that they will not be terminated on a later date?" National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (Nufam) president Ismail Nasaruddin said today.

MAS is terminating some 20,000 staff of which 14,000 will be re-employed under a new company as part of a restructuring exercise to rescue the ailing airline.

Ismail also decried the new terms of the contract as unfair, as there are disparities betweens the terms and conditions for different staff.

He added that some who lost their jobs were on maternity leave.

"They are exploiting the workers," said Ismail.

The old structure, Malaysian Airline System Bhd, will cease operations in August and selected assets and liabilities will be transferred to the new company, Malaysia Airlines Bhd.

'Don't sign contracts'

Even more concerning to the union is the collective agreement which expired last September.

 

Ismail alleged that MAS is trying to use a new allowance guidebook and employee handbook as the new collective agreement.

 

"Where did they come up with these handbooks? We were not consulted. I don't see any signature on this thing," he said.

 

A collective agreement is a type of commercial agreement, usually between the employer and the trade unions.

 

In the face of such confusion, Nufam is advising MAS employees to not sign the contracts until they have consulted the union.

 

Ismail further claimed that MAS is ignoring the emotional trauma this mass termination could cause their employees.

 

"The workers are told to immediately perform. They are not robots, they are humans with feelings," Ismail said.

 

It is only natural that the terminations, along with the disparities in contracts would cause disharmony and unhappiness among employees, Ismail explained.

 

Nufam plans to continue protesting these actions by MAS.

 

"We want a win-win situation. You must be fair to the union and the employees," Ismail said.