Sabah Ports signs second collective agreement with union
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd chairman Datuk Karim Bujang has called on its employees to reflect on the state’s and nation’s recent unfortunate events and take precautionary measures to deal with unforeseen events in the future.
“It is best to be ready. I will want Sabah Ports to take note of this, all functions will have a short safety briefing in case of emergency. I think it is a reasonable thing to do,”he said at the signing ceremony of the collective agreement between Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd and the Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd Employees Union (KPPSPSB) here yesterday.
“Because I think what happened last week is something that none of us expected. I don’t know about you but I never expected it to happen. When the earthquake happened we all started wondering about the reason why it happened.
“I was asked by a lot of people about it. It is alright for them (nudists) to do whatever they want to do in their country but when you go to other people’s country, please, respect the rules, customs and what not. We don’t expect so much. We just expect them to understand that there are things like this,”he added.
Karim also mentioned the unfortunate events that have led to 6,000 of Malaysia Airlines employees to lose their jobs from the national carrier company and the deteriorating strength of the Malaysian Ringgit.
“Things are not that rosy ahead of us. That is the reason understanding between employees and employer must exist and be improved. Employers must also look at not only the negative but also positive situations,” he stressed, while adding that this is essential in avoiding circumstances similar to what had occurred to the country’s national airline recently.
He noted that the renewal of the three-year collective agreement had long been requested by KPPSPSB president Awang Ali Ahmad Raji, but the previous management had failed to deal with the issue until Datuk Dr Mohd Fowzi Razi took over the helm as Sabah Ports Group managing director, who is also supported by its chief operating officer, Mohd Sahid Nawab Khan.
He lauded the open and harmonious approach made between the management and employees to avoid detrimental consequences, which will affect the overall morale and working environment of the company.
“If there is no understanding between the employees and employer then what will happen is that there will always be conflict. When there is conflict, we can never get things done.
“Hopefully, the signing of this agreement will see to Sabah Ports’ better quality of performance, the company’s vision of becoming the BIMP-EAGA region ports of preference and the company’s mission to be committed in providing port services that consistently meet our customers’ needs,” added the chairman while advising employees to build better ties with the ports’ patrons.
Karim witnessed the signing of the second collective agreement between Sabah Ports and KPPSPSB here yesterday.
The collective agreement details the terms and conditions of service for union members after negotiations between management and the union which started on August 25, 2014 and ended on the April 16, 2015.
The chief negotiator for KPPSPSB was Awang Ali whilst the management was represented by Sabah Ports general manager Siti Noraishah Azizan.
The first agreement was sealed on August 29, 2011 and, according to Sabah Ports, the series of negotiation and bargaining meetings for the new agreement were conducted in a harmonious and amicable atmosphere.
Both parties amicably countered, accepted reasons and solutions to the proposals negotiated, which consisted of 16 Articles.
KPPSPSB currently has 485 members holding various positions in Kota Kinabalu Port, Sepanggar Bay Oil Terminal, Sepanggar Bay Container Port, Kudat Port, Tawau Port, Lahad Datu Port and Sandakan Port.