TAPAH – The amendments to the Trade Unions Act 1959 were not aimed at suppressing trade unions, but rather to increase the number of trade unions in the country, said caretaker human resources minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan.
At the same time, he said it would give more opportunities for workers to join any union of their choice.
“Just look at the membership of the existing trade unions. Even though there are 15 million workers, not even 10% of them are (union) members.
“Maybe there were some betrayals and other cases, that’s why we want to increase the number of unions that employees can join.
“This is a good effort and an international culture known through the International Labour Organisation,” he told reporters after attending a Deepavali open house here today.
Saravanan, who is also the MIC deputy president, said the Trade Unions (Amendment) Bill 2022, was unanimously passed before Parliament was dissolved last month.
In a statement, the chairman of the Coalition Against Multiplicity of Unions, Rudy Rusly, claimed the amendment showed that Saravanan and his deputy Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique had betrayed the trust of 15 million workers and weakened unions.
On October 5, the Dewan Rakyat passed the bill which aims to allow more than one union to be formed in a single workplace and to increase trade union membership.
Saravanan in his winding-up speech in Parliament said the diversity of trade unions was expected to have a positive impact, especially on workers, besides giving them the freedom to join or establish unions of their own choice. – Bernama, November 1, 2022
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