Global electronics manufacturer Molex accused of union-busting in Malaysia

Electronics Industry Employees’ Union (EIEUNR) has filed a complaint with the Penang Industrial Relations Department (IRD) against global electronic components manufacturer Molex (M) Sdn Bhd for its anti-union campaign in the run-up to a secret ballot that was to take place today, Tuesday, Feb 22.

EIEUNR general secretary David Arulappen said the company’s human resources (HR) director had threatened to cut benefits, should the union win the secret ballot.

Arulappen explained that the HR director had also made promises of increments to the workers if the union failed in its attempt to show proof of its majority membership among workers in the factory based at the Perai Industrial Area on mainland Penang.

“He made promises like increasing shift, transport and meals allowances, which gave away the fact that he was aware of what was greatly lacking for the well-being of the workers,” he noted.

Arulappen said the union’s move to carry out the secret ballot had been postponed but before a new date was set, the Penang IRD would meet with the union and the employer, on March 15, to investigate the complaints.

He said the trade union had been organising workers in that factory since 2015 and held its first secret ballot in 2016.

“We had a zero turnout in 2016 because the same HR director had unleashed similar threats on the workers and defamed the union.

“This time, we filed an official complaint against the company under Sec 8(1) of the Industrial Relations Act 1967, citing the company’s union-busting campaign and trade union rights violations,” he said.

Reason for the secret ballot

Arulappen described Molex as a global manufacturer of electronic components such as connectors, interconnect components, semiconductors, fibre optics cable assemblies, edge cards, membrane switches and sockets.

He explained that the secret ballot would determine if the majority of workers in the factory were members of the trade union.

“Should we win, the secret ballot results would be used to serve a claim for the recognition of the trade union by the company.

“Once recognised by the company, EIEUNR will be able to carry out collective bargaining for workers there,” Arulappen explained.

EIEUNR general secretary David Arulappen

He said two tripartite meetings involving the employer, the trade union and an IRD representative were held last month to iron out differences and determine the secret ballot date.

“We signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to hold the secret ballot at the factory.

“The MoU also listed the names of the 577 workers who are eligible to vote, listed the duties of the company in preparation for the secret ballot and the secret ballot guidelines.

“The secret ballot attendance sheet included 77 Nepali workers,” he said.

Union has proof of threats made

Arulappen said the union had also written to the Molex board of directors based at its headquarters in the United States.

“If we don’t hear from them, we will send a second letter before we meet the IRD next month because we have credible proof that the HR director and the company’s operations manager had threatened workers and defamed the union during several meetings with the workers.

“We want them to apologise for defaming the union, verbally abusing and threatening workers,” Arulappen said, pointing out to the transcribed conversation that was sent to the board of directors.

The letter was copied to other local and global trade union bodies and workers’ rights organisations such as the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC), lndustriAll Global Union Geneva office, Electronic Watch, Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) and the United States Embassy in Malaysia. - Mkini