Malaysia Airlines employees are waiting for the outcome of negotiations with the management before deciding whether or not to proceed with industrial action.

Malaysian Airlines System Employees Union (Maseu) president Alias Aziz said the negotiations will focus on the quantum of compensation for the Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS), as well as an undertaking not to retrench workers.

"If they are willing to take VSS then it's okay. If they want to stay, then they should be allowed to do so," he said when contacted.

"If they (the management) can guarantee the future of the MAS employees, then we'll not picket. Likewise, if they can't guarantee our future then we have to picket."

Asked how long the negotiations would take, Alias said the pace would be determined by progress made yesterday - the first day of the process.

Benefit another airline

Alias said the union is also seeking to meet with the government as soon as possible to iron out the matter.

Last week, the government announced that MAS would axe 6,500 of its 23,000 employees and hand over all but 19 of its domestic routes to low-cost carrier AirAsia under a sweeping rationalisation plan.

News reports said that AirAsia is believed to have offered job opportunities to 1,000 of the affected MAS employees.

However, the plan has irked Maseu, which said the lay-off exercise should not be carried out for the benefit of "another airline".

The union said it would hold pickets nationwide should the company go ahead with the layoff. They will also wear black armbands as a sign of protest.