Lack of women in key positions

WE are very concerned by the lack of representation of women in the recently elected leadership of the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC).

Since its inception in 1949 as a body that acts as an intermediary between the state and trade unions, the leadership of the MTUC has been the exclusive domain of men. It is certainly not for the lack of women workers/unionists who would be able to fill these leadership positions, as the numbers prove otherwise. According to Malaysia’s Department of Trade Union Affairs, 441,106 women workers registered as members of trade unions alongside 489,628 men workers nationwide in 2018.

The impact of women not being represented in decision-making positions is dire for women’s equality in the country. A case in point is MTUC’s abysmal action of voting against the proposed International Labour Organisation’s Convention on Violence and Harassment in 2019. It smacks of a high level of apathy for the realities women workers face on a daily basis.

In fact, women workers’ right to a safe, secure and inclusive work environment is fundamental to their labour force participation. Hence, it should receive due recognition in terms of making it the primary agenda of all trade unions, and MTUC in particular. The failure to uphold women workers’ rights, is a failure to uphold the labour rights of all workers.

Dr Rohana Ariffin’s seminal research on the participation of women in trade unions in Malaysia, which culminated in the publication of Women and trade unions in Peninsular Malaysia with special reference to MTUC and CUEPACS (Congress of Union of Employees in the Public and Civil Services) in 1997, revealed that patriarchal ideology had structured the perceptions and views of unionists. Stereotypes about male and female division of labour meant women workers were primarily responsible for domestic work, and this was widely accepted by trade unions and their leadership. Unfortunately, this remains unchanged in the context of Malaysian women workers and their meaningful participation in labour unions to date.

Again, this was reflected in the recently concluded election of MTUC’s leadership, with few women workers being nominated for decision-making positions much less winning a seat at the decision-making table. It is still exclusively a “boys’ club” as far as women are concerned.

One of Dr Rohana’s recommendations was that trade union education should be focused on opening up more opportunities for women in terms of training and holding responsible (ie, decisionmaking) positions.

Alas, we have a long way to go in increasing women’s meaningful participation in decision-making positions in trade unions in Malaysia. Despite being a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw), Malaysia has failed at providing adequate legal protection for women against harassment, violence and discrimination at the work place. In addition to this, it has done little to eliminate the severe barriers women face in achieving meaningful participation in trade unions.

Note: This letter is endorsed by Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor, Dian Yanuardy, Eunsook Kang, Pan Hnin Aye, Indu Chaudhary.