The National Union Of Flight Attendants Malaysia (Nufam) handed over a memorandum addressed to two ministries today, voicing its disappointment over the alleged lack of assistance for terminated Malaysia Airlines (MAS) employees.

The memorandum was presented by Nufam president Ismail Nasaruddin to a Human Resources Ministry representative at the entrance to the ministry premises.

"The Human Resources Ministry has failed to protect and prevent the termination of 6,000 workers, and also, both ministries - including the Transport Ministry - have promised the workers (to protect) their welfare, to find suitable jobs (for them) and to ensure their livelihood will be looked after.

"(However) right till today, many of them have not gotten any jobs yet. They are still suffering, they have got no monthly salary and they do not know what to do," Ismail said.

The Nufam president also reiterated that the government should immediately remove or review the MAS Act 2014, for it allegedly victimises workers and serves to protect MAS' interests.

"The problem with the MAS Act is they are given the rights to protect Malaysia Airlines, and that is denying the workers any movement of justice towards the airline," Ismail added.

He also said the company did not not abide by International Labour Organisation (ILO) regulations and policies, as the MAS Act has overridden existing international labour standards and laws.

MAS has also denied the remaining workers the right to form an in-house union, Ismail (photo) pointed out.

"As far as we are concerned, Malaysia (is part) of the ILO, (so) why are they denying the workers of the right to form a union?

"This is a question that we should ask the government [...] What's very disturbing in MAS is that they form their own workers council without the consultation of the union (Nufam).

"This is complete injustice [...] they do not have any collective agreement; they are denying the workers of the right to speak up," he told reporters.

Opposed to MAS CEO resignation

Ismail also stressed that Nufam is against the resignation of MAS CEO Christoph Mueller.

"He (Mueller) has been given a three-year contract, and he has promised to look after the airline till the end of his contract, but sadly, recently, less than a year (into his contract), he has resigned," he said.

Ismail then questioned why the airline is still paying Mueller's salary while the majority of the 6,000 terminated workers suffer.

Other points that the memorandum touched on were:

 

  • The airline's proposal to change the staff's uniform when the company should have fully paid off the retrenchment benefits of the 6,000 affected workers;
  • The Transport Ministry should continue to aid the families of the deceased from flights MH370 and MH17; and
  • Calls for state investment fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd to relinquish control over Malaysia Airlines.

 

Ismail was accompanied by several Nufam representatives, and Malaysia Trades Union Congress (MTUC) acting president Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary-general A Sivarajan, who voiced their full support for Nufam's memorandum on behalf of their respective organisations.