Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) will compile a report detailing how the government was denying and 'severely' curbing trade union rights, said the congress' secretary-general today.

G Rajasekaran said the report will be used as a blueprint to prepare a complaint that will be handed over to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

He added that MTUC had received feedback from the metal, rubber, electrical, electronics and petrol-chemical industries to be included into the report.

"We hope to finish the report within three months. Copies of the report will be submitted to the Human Resource Ministry and other relevant authorities," Rajasekaran told malaysiakini .

According to him, the report will reveal how the government was abusing the ruling and relevant clauses in the Trades Union Act which deals with freedom of association and the right to organise unions.

The report will also be used to pressure the government to rectify the 1948 ILO convention 87, which among others, states that workers have the right to establish unions and are subject only to the rules of the organisation concerned. In addition, workers also have the right to join organisations of their choice without previous authorisation

It also states that public authorities shall refrain from any interference which would restrict these rights.

'Openly punishing'

Rajasekaran claimed that contrary to the provisions of the 1967 Trade Union Act, workers in the country's electronics sector were banned from establishing a trade union.

Since electronics firms enjoy a union-free environment, Rajasekaran said that the Trade Union Department has deliberately categorised manufacturers of metals and plastics as "electronics companies" in order to prevent their employees from forming a union.

He also alleged that where in-house unions were concerned, activities were seriously obstructed.

Rajasekaran cited an example of a union which after a series court proceedings, has still not been able to get their employers to negotiate a collective agreement.

Despite a legal guarantee under the Industrial Relations Act, employers are "openly punishing and victimising union officials," he complained.

Rajasekaran claimed that petroleum giant, Shell Malaysia, had recently re-designated 70 percent of all its employees as junior executives in order to "kill the in-house unions".

"The director-general (DG) of the Trade Union Department continues to obstruct the growth of unions in the country," he said, adding that " the DG's decision cannot be challenged and he is not required to justify it either."