NATIONAL carrier Malaysia Airlines should recognise National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (Nufam) to protect workers’ rights, said Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC).

MTUC secretary-general J. Solomon said Malaysia Airlines Bhd’s refusal to acknowledge Nufam has deprived workers of their basic social protection for many years.

“The only remedy is to grant the union immediate recognition.

“If MAB does not even do this, it will only confirm the continuity of its anti-union tactics, which may seem like the government using GLCs to bust unions,” Solomon said in a statement.

MAB was formed in 2015 in place of Malaysia Airline System Bhd, which was wound up, and has since then, refused to recognise Nufam as a union representing its employees.

The Federal Court on Wednesday denied MAB leave to appeal in a dispute with Nufam.

The dispute purportedly followed Malaysia Airlines’ failure to acknowledge in-flight supervisors (IFS workers) as not being employed in any managerial, executive, confidential or security capacity, and, therefore, have a right to vote to recognise Nufam as a union.

As a result of the decision by the apex court, Nufam’s trade union recognition process can proceed with IFS workers allowed to vote.

Solomon said while the right to form trade unions was protected under the labour law, trade unions still face numerous hurdles in their quest to demand job security, decent work, and fair wages.

“The fact that all the courts including the Federal Court had not disputed the Human Resource Ministry’s decision to allow the categories of staff in dispute shows that it was a sound decision.”

MAB should respect this decision and recognise Nufam immediately, he said.

Solomon added that Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong should take the initiative to show that the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government is in favour of the plight of the employees. – July 24, 2020.