Friday 29 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Airline System Employees’ Union Peninsular Malaysia (Maseu) has urged national carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAS) to provide more regular and timely updates on its restructuring efforts.

This will help reduce uncertainty and anxiety among MAS employees and allow them to plan their future, the union said in a statement yesterday, in response to news reports highlighting the impact of the MAS Recovery Plan. It said any information updates by MAS can be provided via the established employee consultative panel and other channels.

“As we are now entering into a critical stage of the MAS restructuring, Maseu urges MAS to continue providing sufficient information more regularly and in a timely manner,” said Maseu president Alias Aziz.

He said Maseu acknowledged tough measures are necessary to save MAS.

Alias said Maseu’s main priority is to ensure employees are treated in a “fair, transparent and humane” manner under the restructuring, especially in employee assessment, selection and packages offered.

Hence, the union is “appreciative” of the establishment of the corporate development centre (CDC), which will provide reskilling and placement services for employees leaving MAS, he said.

“We will help to assist those affected to fully utilise the services of CDC. Maseu also hopes that employees who join the new MAS will also be given appropriate flexibility in adjusting to new demands and requirements,” he said.

Alias reiterated that Maseu will give its full support for the restructuring of MAS and the leadership of Christoph Mueller as the incoming managing director and chief executive officer of MAS.

He said Maseu, as a “legitimate in-house union”, will continue to work hand in hand with MAS to ensure the smooth transition of employees under the restructuring effort.

Previously, Maseu and several other smaller unions had pressured Khazanah Nasional Bhd — MAS’ sole shareholder — to abort a move to cut 6,000 jobs under the sovereign wealth fund’s RM6 billion recovery plan, unveiled last August.

The other unions involved were the Malaysian Trades Union Congress, UNI Malaysia Labour Centre, Asean Services Employees Trade Union Council Malaysia, Gabungan Kesatuan Sekerja Dalam Syarikat GLC & Penswastaan, and the Public Services International Malaysia.

 

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on April 21, 2015.

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