Tackle issues in industrial relations
KUDOS to new Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran for promising to tackle problems and issues that have been left unattended for years in the ministry.
I agree with the proposal that any complaints of unfair dismissal which cannot be settled through conciliation at the Industrial Relations Department should be automatically referred to the Industrial Court instead of leaving them to gather dust at the ministry.
Non-reference by the minister results in expenses and is also time consuming for the dismissed employee who will have to challenge the minister’s action at the High Court.
The industrial relations system in our country is such that the dismissed employee incurs no cost in filing his complaint upon dismissal. Non-reference defeats this, however.
The minister also needs to look into the tenure of the chairmen of the Industrial Court who are appointed from among practising lawyers. They are appointed on a two-year term which may or may not be extended. We know of cases where some were only informed of the non-renewal at the very last moment, forcing them to vacate the office and return their official car immediately. Is this the way to treat the chairmen whose duty is to ensure that employees are not deprived of their security of employment?
This matter has not been resolved for more than 50 years. Please look into this and make them permanent after their initial employment of two years or less. This uncertainty is also the reason why there is poor response from practitioners to take up the post.
Of late, any chairman, even newly appointed and inexperienced ones, have been hearing cases involving trade disputes and collective agreements. In the past, only the president and/or experienced chairmen did this. It has taken years to ensure consistency in terms and conditions of employment and how wages are to be increased/adjusted upon the expiry of a collective agreement.
Recent awards seem to ignore the long established principles of collective bargaining and this could result in upsetting industrial harmony at the workplace.
I pray the minister will look into the above matters. DATUK AJIT SINGH JESSY Penang